Evening star., 1949-10-04
Crises Require Steady
Citizenry, Matthews
Tells K. Of T.. Forum


among the public caused by news
from abroad is dangerous for
nation with world power and world
responsibility" Navy Secretary
Matthews declared last night.
Mr.. Mathews spoke at the first
In a new series of town hall meet
ings, sponsored by the Washing
ton General Assembly, Fourth
Degree, Knights of Columbus, in
the Gonzaga High School audi
torium.
He asserted there is danger that
the policies of our Nation might
have ups and downs" as does
the public feeling. thereby caus-
ing distress and even distrust in
the countries that depend upon
us for their freedom and security"
eve may even lose allies be-
cause our friends may feel that
we are too unpredictable and
changing for their safety" he
warned.
Citizens Must Guide.
"That is why our policy toward
world communism must be based
on the bedrock of moral principle.
Unless our citizens think clearly
and guide us, their servants IN
government, this Nation will not
show the greatness demanded by
the crisis of today.
when President Truman told
the Nation of an atomic explosion
in Russia, the news caused tre-
mendous wave of excitement" Mr.
Matthews said. Experts tried to
guess what effect this development
would have on our foreign policy.
Some held it would mean war.
Others were more optimistic, ar
euing that no nation would dare
to start a war, now that both
sides had atomic weapons. Most
people were puzzled and somewhat
fearful
Mr.. Matthews declared the an
nouncement was not the first time
news from abroad had a pro
found effect on our feelings" Each
time there is an international con-
ference or an important event, he
stated, there is the same wave OF
excitement. the same pattern OF
ANALYSIS, the same uncertainty and
confusion among the public"
O'Boyle in Audience.
The Navy Secretary, former
supreme knight of the knights OF
Columbus, spoke to an audience
that packed the high school audi
torium and included the Most Rev.
Francis A. O'Boyle, Archbishop OF
Washington.
So long as communism remains
true to it's principles. Mr.. Mat
thews asserted, I'VE must accept a
state of tension as normal"
Regarding internal security, the
Navy Secretary said it would BE
foolish for us to spend millions to
fight communism abroad "and
then to ignore it's possible in
fuence and dangers here at
home"
by this" he continued, Il do
not mean that there is any fore
seeable danger that America will
go Communist. There are only
10000 members of the Communist
Party in the United States. They
are losing members rather than
gaining them. -2
what concerns me rather Is
their effective underground work" !"
Citing the conviction on espio-
mage earlier this year of Govern
ment .employe, Mr. Matthews
pointed out the employe had got
ten into "a key spot where our
highly secret security reports were
available ="
Exposure Recommended.
'It is planned. purposive and
resourceful activity of this type
which makes Communists so effec-
tive" he said. In an open struggle
they would be hopelessly outnun-
bered, but their weapons Of deceit
and underground work are power
full against a sleeping foe.
I'm this light we must be real
istic about American Communists.
Let us stop this nonsense about
thought control and suppression
of political freedom.
1.-THE great weapon against do
mestic communism is exposure.
They should be brought into the
open both by Government and by
trained private experts.
1--WE compel drug manufacturers
to label poisonous products clearly
so that no one will be injured by
mistake. We must label COM
munism poison wherever it ap-