Evening star., 1948-08-24
EnqIund's RED Dean"

Although there Is natural neSlGancy Ill
these trying times to question the wisdom
of the State Department, it seems per-
fectly evident that some one has blundered
In denying visa to DR.. Hewlett johnson,
the "Red Dean" of Canterbury.
AS explained by Michael McDermott lex
planning things like this is one OF the
crosses he has to bear as State Depart
ment press officer, there was nothing
personal In the denial of the visa. If DR..
johnson wants to visit us ION his own
hook" according to Mr.. McDermott he
probably can get visa. But DR.. Johnson
does not want to visit us on his own hook
He wants to come over as guest speaker
at rally of the American Soviet Friend
ship Society, which occupies prominent
place on the Attorney Generals list OF
Communist organizations, and 1t
is this which causes the State Depart
ment to freeze up at the prospect of
visit from the Red Dean. He can come
on his own, but he cannot come under the
auspices of the so-called Friendship Society
because that-and this is oficial-would
mot be in our national interest"
There being an understandable limit to
a mans willingness to explain things, Mr..
McDermott does not say precisely what
segment Of the national interest Is at
stake in this matter, nor does he tell us
why it Is that the Red Dean would be
a safe visitor on his own hook but
distinct menace as a visitor coming over
under the auspices of the organization with
the made-in- Moscow type Of name. OF
course, the logical inference is that the
State Department, considering all the spy
scares, does not want to be caught even
looking in the direction Of any front Or
ganization. The fact remains, however,
that the decision Is a regrettable one.
DR.. johnson should have been permitted
to come in and speak under auspices OF
his own choosing. Then nobody would
have paid any attention to him, for he Is
we'll known to most Americans as an
apologist and special pleader for his Com
munist friends. He has visited us before
and the record does not show that he has
ever spoken except to defend Russia and
to rap the wicked capitalists on the
knuckles. So why not let him speak again?
II any American listened he would find
the deans remarks to be just as familiar
and Just as boring as, for example, an
other speech by Henry Wallace.
But having been denied visa he is able
to capture some headlines. He Is able to
tell the London Daily Worker Communist
paper on whose editorial board he serves,
that the American doctrine of free speech
does not extend to talk about friendship
with Russia. And, adopting that more-in-
sorrow-than-in-an anger pose which some
times serves men OF his persuasion to good
advantage, he is able to contrast the atti-
tude of the United States with that Of
Eastern Europe which, he says, has
opened it's arms wide" (Dr. Johnson is
going to Poland to attend a meeting of
a group which calls itself the Congress OF
Intellectuals in Defense of Peace)
There is still another unfortunate aspect
of this matter. The State Department
may not have thought about it, but the
chances are that the American-Soviet
Friendship Society will find substitute
speaker, and 1t may be some one with
new line that might interest some Ameri-
cans. At least, there would have been no
danger of this If the Dean had been per-
mitted to regale the Friendship Society
rally with his worn-out thesis for the
American people would have stayed away
by the millions.