The Wilmington morning star., 1947-12-31
AS Pegler Sees It
By WESTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, 1947, by King Feature
Syndicate Tnc\

By WESTBROOk PEGLER
Copyright, 1947, by King Features
Syndicate, Inc.)
| Reynolds News, of London, recently pub
lished criticism of the Hollywood movie
industry by Charlie Chaplin which closed
with an intination that he would presently
save the people Of the United States the
problem of heaving him out of a country
whose hospitality, indeed asylum, he has
lrequited with impudence, ingratitude and
notorious contempt for the moral standards
Of the people.
Chaplin produced picture last winter
called ''Monsieur Verdoux" which laid an
egg on Broadway because it presented an
immoral idea executed so cheaply that
even the lay public could detect the char
acteristic stinginess of the meanest man in
Hollywood It was the story of Parisian
profligate, similar in many ways to Chap
lin himself, who disposed of his wives by
murder. Chaplin, on his part, availed him
self of the convenience of the American
divorce system which permits legalized
promiscuity thanks largely to the influence
on on our o1 morals of the tom-cats and wantons
OF the amusement industry. In his most
notorious adventure, however, Chaplin Sc
duced young American girl with promises
OF fame in the movies and when he got
her pregnant had her railroaded out of
town on one-way ticket with little more
lunch.
Although this migrate alien was still free
to travel about the United States, this ma
tive young woman, victim of his passion
IN the words of a somber piccadilly folk
song, was banished from Beverly Hills by
the ancient process of the buns rush
She returned and justice won a decision
on points after gaudy trial which ended
on the sad refrain 'it's the same the 'ole
world over, isn't it bloody shame?"
That Chaplin now toys with the idea of
leaving us will be news less tragic to the
american people than Chariot himself
would think. He has never caught the
American idea, although it would be incor-
rect to say he never understood US at all.
He never could understand that citizenship
IN IN our country was an honor to be con-
1erred with discrimination, and refused
more often than not. And he revealed some
years ago an erroneous belief that the Unit
eu oLateS was a kind of assignaton park
Tor the Illicit fun of rich parvenus He said
ne mad been a paying guest, and in that
M lauA pas revealed misconception of the
nature OF our republic and the theory of
the m income tax. Moreover, he hid the fart
that ne tried for several years to cheat
the Treasury by falsely swearing that
relative was his partner whereas the bust
ness relationship was fake devised to cut
his surtaxes. Most of this relatives income
was kicked right back to him and Chaplin
eventually had to pay deficiency of ST.
l74,O00 and was lucky that he didn't 90
to prison.
In some ways, however, he has indeed,
shrewdly understood the American people,
Our susceptibility to suggestion and propa-
ganda and our capacity for contempt and
insult have fascinated him. He has exploit
ed these amiable faults for more than 35
years and | should say, now, at last to
the limit In the last two years he has
pressed his luck and the only reason why
formal proceedings have not been pushed
convicted of felony. Congress, in the
name OF the American people, could pass
law now to deport him as one who after
sufficient time, has proved unbearably
offensive and inimical Under the Consti-
tuition eve the people, through our elected
that Chaplin's further presence mere is in
consistent with our general welfare and
run him out. A dozen representatives
would gladly offer such bill today AS to
whether Chaplin is a communist, no
burden need be assumed by the people. He
frlendller to those who do believe in COM
munlsm than to the people of this country
as represented by their elected legislature
! For a recent example, on Nov. 81, at
9:02 pm, Charles Chaplin, of 1885 Summit
Drive, Beverly Hills, the town from which
| Tie tTOuD1eQ American girl was QepOrCeQ,
sent radio message to Pablo Picasso, of
Paris. The records of the committee on un-
American Activities of the House of Rep
rasentatives contain the unqualified state
ment that Picasso is an avoWed member
OF the communist party of France About
this time the committee was engaged in
exposing the Austrian communist, Hams
Eisler, fugitive from Hitler's gas-cham-
bers, who had been admitted to the United
States on false representations through the
intercesson with the State Department of
Eleanor Roosevelt.
In Hollywood, Chaplin and Eisler had
been brought together by mutual interests.
The text, of Chaplin's radio to Picasso
was: "Can you head committee of French
artists to protest to the American Embassy
in Paris the outrageous d e portetion pro-
ceedings against Hams Eisler and stimuli
taneously send me copy of protest for use
here. Greetings
This was an attempt by an alien, resi-
dent here for more than IS years, guilty
of a degree of moral turpitude which dis
| qualities him for citizenship, caught IN the
act of cheating the government of an an
enormous debt for taxes, Stacker in both
World Wars, although he clamored with the
communists for second front in the latest
one-an attempt by this alien habitue of
communist fronts devoted to tie destruc-
ton of the American nation to foment an
artificial political demonstration against
the United States by communists in Paris,
in reprisal for certain legal action taken
by the elected representative of the Amer
ican people in Congress.
"Before long, Chaplin wrote for Reyn-
olds News, of London, II shall perhaps
leave the United States"
Quotations