The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-06-29
FASCISM defined" FOR LOBBY
PROBERS BY ANTl-LABOR NEG

w dSIlUStOfl LIZ "A IA WlSp "
a man, with prim mouth and purs
ed lips, a man who could be mis-
taken easily for a clerk, calmly
told a House lobby investigating
committee June Fl that:
| None of the great leaders of this
country used the term democracy
much before 1885; that the increas-
ling use of the term in this country
dates from the Communist meeting
lin 1896 in Moscow; that those
who speak of democracy want to
convert "our Republic. from a
Representative form of government
into mobocracy, governed even
tually by a DICTATOR; that federal
laid to education, and social secur-
lity, are "socialistic" that the pre-
sent Supreme Court is dedicated
to Socialism," should be abolished
and replaced.
The little man was Merwin X.
Hart, president of the National
Economic Council, which over the
years has been able to persuade
giant corporations and some of our
richest men, to finance their lob
bying and educational" work for
"Americanism." Thus, Irenee du
Pont, of the fabulous DUPONT dyn-
asty, gave the NEG $1,000 in
1948. Other big gifts came from
people like Joseph r. Grundy, head
of ~the Pennsylvania Manufactur-
ers' Association, and for 80 years
the very voice of standpat Repub-
licanism in the nation.
The House probers wanted to
know how the NEG conducts it's
lobbying activities, and its techni-
ques of raising money. Chairman
Frank Buchanan Cd, Pa.) made it
clear that neither Hart nor the
NEG was on trial, and the COP
members of the committee wrang-
led about not discussing "ideolog
ies", but it was Hart himself who
went into ''ideology", and at
length.
A letter was read from a min
lister refusing to contribute on the
ground the NEG was reactionary
and fascist in character. So Hart
defined the term. He said there
were two meanings; one was that
of "strong central government" !,
which Hart says the NEG opposes.
The other use of the term, he said,
is as an epithet, "pure and simple,
and is used against groups like
NEG by "mommunists and their
friends" (Hart is a great admirer
of Franco Spain, a strong" gov
ernment.)
NEG solicitation letters went to
colleges, libraries, and churches.
Asked Buchanan: "Did you send
any letters to synagogues
Hart hesitated, and then replied
slowly, 81 don't recall sending
any," (The previous day Hart had
explained the NEG was not against
Zionism, but just militant Zion
ism.")
Hart denied there was any close|
link between his NEG and the Com
mittee for Constitutional Govern
ment, regarded by most observers
as the king pin anti-labor anti
Fair deal lobby in the nation
Nevertheless, their programs, theirl
stand on public issues, and theirl
financial sources are similar.
Hart made a nice distinction be- |
tween political action" and legis- |
lative action, and noted NEG took
no part in elections. Lobbying, he |
said, was legislative action; sol
was trying to influence members
of Congress directly, or Indirectly |
so was. furnishing assistance tol
people to write letters to the news |
so was importing and fin
ancing a Cecil Palmer from Eng
land to speak at a dinner for mem
bers of Congress on the evils of |
so were letters to form !