The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1951-10-05
By R. E. PORTER,
In The Machinist (IAM)

tionary makers) haven't officially
added it to our vocabulary, yet it's
meaning is pretty we'll defined.
Among the definitions are: "Tech-
nique of the Big Lie, Hit-and-Run
Smear, Scattergun SANDER, Neo-
Hitlerism, Libel Unlimited, Assassi-
nation of Character"
Purveyor of the new "ism" is
brassy, clustering Senator Joseph
r. Mccarthy, ranting Senator from
Wisconsin. He isn't the inventor, how
ever. There have been and are other
masters at the propaganda of the Big
Lie-Hitler, Stain, Peron, Franco.
McCarthyism has raised to a new
pinnacle the doctrine of guilt by as
ISOLATION, or just guilt by accusa-
ton. 1t has turned upside down the
American tradition that an accused
person is innocent until proven guilty.
Now he's guilty if Mccarthy says SO.
Thus, anyone who may have had
some contact with Communists or fell
loW-travelers, no matter how remote;
or has been duped at some time by
the Comrades" or has known some
one who knows a Connie; or who
simply holds unorthodox ideas be-
comes-in the Mccarthy lexicon
a Communist, Security Risk, or even
a Potential Traitor.
This type of blanket smear, which
forms the basis of McCarthy's "mein !
kampf," plays into the hands of |
the real Communists because they are
able to say: Look, anyone is called |
Communist who doesn't think as Nc |
Carthy does"
McCarthyism is welcomed by the
Commies in another way. 1t stirs
up doubt and distrust, fear and
suspicion among and between
Americans. What more could the
Kremlin desire?
McCarthyism has set in motion
galore-in Washington
and in state legislatures. 1t has pro-
duced wave of loyalty oath laws
and Investigations Of "un-American-
sm."
What manner of man is the sena-
,or who's spearheading this new
ISM"
Not so many years ago "Joe" Nc
earthly was an obscure young lawyer ;
n northern Wisconsin. He wasn't I
yery sure of his politics, but he had
l terrific drive for position and ;
power. His first campaign for public 8
office was on the Democratic ticket
for county attorney. He lost. II
Then he switched parties, deciding
he COP offered greater opportuni- S
les. In 1889, when he was only 20 :
ears old, he threw his hat in the
ing for a state circuit judgeship. '
lie conducted whirlwind, brash cam t
'aign, winning out over the incum- I
'ent, a jurist with "a years on the |
ench. c
ABUSE OF JUDICIAL POWER"
His record as a Judge left lot
to be desired. In 1871 he was CEN +
sored by the state Supreme Court y
for having destroyed records in a
case where he dismissed charges
against two dairy companies for {
violation of state law. The high q
tribunal branded his actions "high-
ly improper" and an "abuse of q
judicial power" Audacious "Joe," Y
little disturbed, responded with +
billings-gate against the Supreme n
Court. Fl
Some time later he came under b
fire for having turned his court n
into a "quickie" mill for divorce s.
cases. Political friends and sup n
porters shifted their divorce &C
tions from other state jurisdic- G.
tions to McCarthy's = and in a s
few days they were freed of their u
spouses. a.
Over the years "Joe" repeatedly u
tangled with Wisconsin tax authori- CT
ties over alleged tax lodging. In
l943, while he was in the Marines
he cleaned up $4,000 in stock
deals, but paid no income taxes to
the state. When questioned about
that, he gave the brazen alibi that
ne was not a resident of Wiscon-
sin that year, though he still legal