Evening star., 1950-08-09
President Held Wise
In Stand Taken 10
Block SubYersiYes
Yet His Characterization
OF 6. o. P.-Bucked Bills
Seen us Ruther Brood
By David Laurence Q


come out in favor Of legislation
which would require registration
of all persons who have received
instruction from q foreign gov
ernment or political party in es-
pionage or subversive tactics"
This Is In the main what the
bill sponsored by three Republi-
cans-Senator Mundt Of South
Dakota, Senator Ferguson Of
Michigan and Representative
Nixon Of California-has hereto
fore proposed but it is the first
important step taken by the ad-
ministration to recognize the need
for new laws to combat the Com
munist movements In this coun-
try.
There are various bills Of a re-
strictive nature pending and the
Presidents message takes a crack
at this proposed legislation as $50
broad and vague in its terms as
to endanger the freedoms OF
speech, press. and assembly pro-
tected by the First Amendment" J"
It is q matter Of debate, how
ever, whether Mr.. Truman's char
acterization itself is not rather
broad. For the truth is Congress
is deeply concerned about the un-
restricted way in which Commu-
nists operate in America. and
many members feel that the eff
fort to squelch communistic ac-
tivity should be encouraged rather
than discouraged.
Fails to Differentiate.
The President, without differ
entiating between the various
proposals, says this:
Some of the proposed measures
would, in effect, impose severe
penalties for normal political ac-
tivities on the part Of certain
groups, including Communists and
Communist party-line followers.
This kind Of legislation is unnec-
essary. ineffective, and dangerous.
It is unnecessary because groups
such as the Communists cannot
accomplish their evil purposes In
this country through normal po-
litical activity. They will be re-
pudiated by the people as they
have always been"
The foregoing statement will be
disputed. Why, it will be asked,
should any Communist group be
permitted to engage in normal
political activity" or in any other
kind of deceptive operation which
is a camouflage for its real pur:
poses? The right to be on the
ballot is reserved to parties that
are American and are not In any
way tied up with foreign govern
ments or foreign instruction Of
any kind. 1t is not necessary to
single out just the Communists
in the proposed law but to apply
the rule to any political party
that is connected with any for
eign government.
The Communists, to be sure,
cannot win any substantial num-
Der of votes, but the mere fact
that they are permitted on the
ballot or allowed to have political
demonstrations enables them to
maintain small organiZational
units which can carry on espio-
mage. 1t takes only a small number
to infiltrate a labor union and
bring on a strike or frustrate a
settlement in key industries. To
forbid normal political machinery
or the benefits of free speech to
foreign spies is not to transgress
the Constitution. The courts have
decided this, and only last week
the United States Circuit Court
of Appeals said it plainly indeed
in it's decision upholding the con-
viction of Communist Party lead
ers in this country.
All One Conspiracy.
What is overlooked is the fact
that the Communists are all tied
up in one conspiracy. No better
explanation Of this has been given
than in the answers made this
very week by J. Edgar Hoover,
Chief of the Federal Bureau Of
Investigation, In q copyrighted In
terview in "U. 8. News and World
Report" Here is an excerpt In
point:
%. Do you think, Mr.. Hoover,
that Communists are basically
agents of a foreign country, or do
you draw a distinction between
those who are philosophical Com
muniSts and those who are tools of
the Communist spy rings?
"a. The teachings of Commu-
nism are directed toward one final
result-world revolution and the
triumph Of international Commu-
nism. The achievement Of this aim
would mean the violent and COM
plete destruction of the American
Government. Any person who
subscribes to these teachings, re-
gardless Of his reason, Is working
against American democracy and
for the benefit of international
Communism's chief leader. Soviet
Russia. The philosophical Com
munist' who advocates Marxism-
Leninism might just as well be
working as an agent of foreign
power, because he is aiding its
cause. He is. in fact, however,
being played for a sucker by the
Communists, who consider him a
'dupe', a person not to be trusted
but only to be used and then dis
carded.
%. Do your investigations show
that the basic allegiance of a
Communist is to foreign govern
ment rather than our own Gov
eminent?
"a. Most emphatically. >. The
ultimate loyalty of fully indoctri-
mated Communist Party members
is to Moscow. It may mouth