The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1949-10-15
Looking Ahead
By GEORGE s. BENSON
WANTED: A CRUSADE FOR
AMERICA!

There are enemies of our Ameri-
can heritage. Some men. have been
working for a generation to destroy
the productive ability that America
has built. Communism hates free
dom of opportunity, hates competi-
ton, hates private management.
hates the idea of private investment
in tools. Propagandists of this sort
started working hard in our country
right after World War I, and they
were bent upon the destruction of
all these things, one way or another.
Expertly directed, these propa-
gandists cid not start out by telling
people they should be Communists,
nor did they tell people to overthrow
the American way of life. But they
did begin, very shrewdly. to lay a
foundation that they hoped would
bring things within a generation
to the point where they could pub
licly advocate the overthrow of our
way of life. They have desperately
near succeeded. The threat is SER
ious.
Experts Testify
j. Edgar Hoover is better quail
fled than anybody in America to
speak on this subject. He has said:
"One of the two major problems
facing this nation is the subversive
propaganda aimed at the destruc-
ton of our way Of life" Gen. Mar
shall has summarized it this way:
I'VE are faced with the danger OF,
the actual disappearance of Western
civilization upon which our govern
ment and our way of life are based"
Another great American, Presi-.
dent Eisenhower of Columbia Uni
versity, wrote last June: IT firmly
believe that the army of persons who
urge greater and greater centrali-,
cation of authority and greater and
greater deperdence upon the federal
treasury are really more dangerous
to our form of government than any
external threat that can possibly be
arrayed against u.s. He is exactly
right, for that is how the American
system can be brought to decay.
POwer-and Dissension
Woodrow Wilson, another great
thinker, declared out of his great
democratic soul: THE history OF
the limitation of governmental
power, not the increase of it. When
we resist concentration of power we
are resisting the process of death,
because the concentration of power
is always what precedes the destruc-
ton of human liberties" We have
seen this power grow, in our time.
At the same time the propagan-
dists in America have centered their
attack upon private profits, upon
the profit system, and upon compe-
tition. To accomplish their purposes,
they have tried to drive wedge be-
tween employers and employees.
They have created SO much dissatis-
faction that they have jeopardized
our productivity. They have created
sntagonistic attitudes toward man.
agement. They have led many hon.
est but unthinking people to believe
ay.n irf1f
One Crisis to Go
So we'll have these attackers laid
their plans, it is my firm belief that
if we should now be thrown into a
serious national crisis-either ano-
Their serious war or any considerable
amount of unemployment for any
considerable length of time-some-
body would then be able to run for
president and others for congress
on promises to nationalize our in
dustries. These candidates could
promise full employment and high
wages and be elected.
In other words, think that we
are Just now one national crisis
from the socialistic state, from gov
ernmental management and opera
ton of American industry, unless the
present psychology is changed in
the meantime How shall We get
back to sanity, We must have re-
birth of appreciation for these
things that make up our American
heritage. Renewed belief in this
heritage, better understanding of
how it works, and energetic citizen
ship will be required. We must have
a new American crusade-for Amer
lea!