The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1951-05-11
BY HERBERT PELL

Il know how easy it is for an ig-
norant politician to yell Communist
when he is at loss for an answer or
DESTROYS of covering himself with a
smoke screen. This is why | write this
personal note. l should be among
the first to be destroyed. by commu-
nism. am nearly 70 and have never
been in business. l have lived all my
life on invested property as did my
father and mother and my grand
parents and most of my great grand
parents before me. Economically
represent everything to which COM
munism is hostile. | am one of the
comparatively few Americans every
one of whose ancestors became a
citizen of the United States on July
4 1776. l have always loved and
enjoyed liberty. Since the day of
my first effort in politics l have
worked for personal freedom for all.
l have lived in totalitarian countries
and loath what l saw there. I know
that a Communist government will
inevitably degenerate into a totali-
tartan autocracy which is the oppo-
site and the implacable enemy of
everything I have enjoyed, of every
material policy that has served me,
OF everything have respected and of
everything l have loved.)
am for peace. | am for minding
our own business. | am particularly
opposed to a policy which boils down
to an effort to impose American
ideas and customs on other nations.
This does not mean that we should
not recognize the duties and respon-
sibilities of our position.
We must properly understand the
situation of the United States. This
country is the leader of the free
world which is a very different thing
from being the free leader of the
world We are the first of a group
of associates. We cannot act as the
owner of slaves, as the paymaster of
hirelings or as the dominator of satel- |
lites. The nations on our side are |
weaker and poorer than we are either
because they are smaller or because
they have suffered more, but they
are not slaves, servants, or syco-
plants; they are free nations and can
be led by their willing consent or not
at all. We cannot treat them as tools
to be broken in our interest. When
we assume the burden of leadership
We assume at the same time a re-
possibility for the interest of those
whom we lead. We cannot offend
heir conscience or sacrifice them for
our own gain.
Are we to rush by ourselves all
llone on course of military advent
ire without the assistance, without
wen the sympathy of other nations
which might have supported US in a {
ess dashing policy. 1t is, of course,
rue that a leader must lead but an ,
ther essential of leadership is to
ave followers. We cannot wisely
SIX the world to look to us for guild
nee if we obviously intend to con- F
ider no counsel but our own. The |
areer of the Kaiser and of Hitler, /
s well as the example of Stain t
hould have taught us to consider
he inevitable end of the largest q
nd strongest lone wolf. v
Intelligently we must recognize ?
hat the United States cannot be !.
lone in the world. 1t cannot long :,
emain prosperous in company of !
lined nations. So much is obvious. l
or a good many years to come, the /
pre- of individual economy-if that :.
is to survive at all-must I.
E a prosperous United States. 1t is
snifest that we cannot as a Nation
'ntinue as the leader and the bull J.,
ark of a civilization based on the u
that peace is the norm o. o.
condition of mankind if we persist =,
a policy of military adventure or 81
rn ourselves into an armed camp. a.
If the United States is to be the wi
st Nation of the future, if we are ia
tering on the American century. or
US hope-and do what we can We
make it so-that the period of of
r leadership will be a period of TO
ace, amity, and prosperity rather m,