Evening star., 1950-08-09
ext of Truman Appeal for New AnSubversve Legislation

ment active in the interests of all,
can defeat the efforts of Commu-
nists to attain electoral power
False Political Appeal.
In the United States, the Com
munist Party has never received
more than a minute portion OF
the national vote. The good sense
of the American people, and theil
faith in democracy. have utterly
rejected the false political appeal
of Communism.
AS a part of their campaign to
| weaken free nations from within.
the Communists try to inflltrate
and gain control of the most vital
citizens organfza tions such as un-
ions. associations of veterans. bus
mess groups, and charitable, edu-
cational. and political societies.
In this country, these attempts
have-with few exceptions-been
successfully thwarted by the COM
mon sense and hard work of the
members of those organizations,
who have defeated the Commu-
niSts through democratic processes,
or forced them into isolated groups
which are clearly and definitely
identified as Communist-con-
! trolled.
The success of our labor union
members and leaders in exposing
and eliminating Communists who
had managed to gain positions of
authority in the labor movement
is particularly noteworthy. This
demonstrates that open and pub
lie democratic processes provide
the most effective way to prevent
Communists from dominating the
activities and policies of private
groups in our country.
If the Communists confined
their activities in this country to
the open and public channels of
the democratic process, we would
have little concern about them.
But they do not so limit their ac-
tivities. Instead, to serve the ends
of a foreign power, they engage
in espionage, sabotage. and other
acts subversive to our national
safety.
Real Dangers to Be Met.
To protect us against activities
such as these, we must rely pri-
marily upon Government action.
We must have effective internal
security measures to prevent acts
which threaten our national
safety.
These measures must be ac-
curately devised to meet real
dangers. They must not be so
broad as to restrict our liberty un-
necessarily. for that would defeat
our own ends. UnwiSe or excessive
security measures can strike at
the freedom and dignity of the in
dividual which are the very foun-
dation of our society-and the
defense of which is the whole pur-
pose Of our security measures.
In considering the laws that are
needed to protect our internal
security against Communist acti-
vities, we should remember that
we already have tested legal de-
fenses against treason, espionage,
sabotage and other acts looking
toward the overthrow of our Gov
ernment by force or violence.
Strong laws exist on the statute
books-a number of them enacted
or strengthened in recent years
which we have proceeded
and are proceeding vigorously
against such crimes.
The treason laws make it
crime for anyone owing allegiance
to the United States to levy war
against his country, to give aid
and comfort to its enemies, or to
conceal knowledge concerning
reasonable activities.
The espionage laws make it
crime to gather, give. receive. or
transmit documents or similar ma
terials concerning the national de-
fense of the United States with in
tent or reason to believe that they
are to be used against the in
terest of the United States. Fur
thermore, these laws make it a
crime for anyone who has national
defense information to communi-
cate it to any person not entitled
to receive it.
The sabotage laws make it a