The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1957-11-15
Makes Little Impression in Europe
Others Scientific Minded
U.s.. Realizes After Sputnik
by Erik v. Kuehnelt-L addihn

Some of my readers, am sure, Will De surprised
to hear that the new artificial Soviet SatelnteS make
little impression on West Europeans.
Naturally, the news is printed, but nobody thinks
for a moment that these man-made celestial bodies VIII
solve the difficulties of the USSR. They will neither
produce more food, nor will they stem the rising tide OF
unrest among intellectuals, novelists, authors and artists.
'What sort of influence do fiction writer's have
on the political scene?" a few readers might ask, but
our answer would be: "Plenty."
In Hungary, the writer's and students %spearhead-
ed the revolution. At the root of Russian communism
itself are Chernyshevski, Bakunin, Herzen, Tolstoy -
literary figures.
Even ~irreligious Europeans and they are very
numerous know only too well that our chronological
problems are of a secondary nature. The great queS-
tons of our day are philosophical and moral.
Did nsput1nik" come as a surprise to Europeans?
bright people and that they had the aid of some of the
finest German specialists.
How did that happen? In 1S45, after We Day, the
us. offered German specialists in physics, chemistry
and technology the following program = separation
from their families, Sc a day, life in barracks in Amer
lea.
The Russians, on the other hand, promised luxury
without separation from wife and children, autos, serv-
ants and unlimited possibilities for research.
The American program, luckily, was never put into
action, but the Russians had the chance to get hold OF
many specialists.
The American press, moreover, published a num-
Der of letters protesting against the arrival of "these
nazis" on the shores of Gods Own Country.
Still, it would be a gross and fatal mistake if one
were to credit the Russian achievement merely to Ger.
man specialists and the traitors and spies who betrayed
American secrets.
We've said in this column repeatedly and we want
to repeat it again that the East land South Europeans
always>were grievously moderated in the United States,
a contempt leading to the UBIQUITOUS quotas established
in 1921 and 1924 discriminating against the East and
South European immigration.
How often have I the Austrian of German stock,
encountered in the United States the view that only peo-
pie from Britain, Germany, Scandinavia and Holland
make cline citizens" whereas the newcomers from the
Latin or Slavic lie. predominantly Catholic countries
are much less desirable acquisitions.
Why? Because they are less clever, less clean, less
industrious less reliable less anvthinp One Onlv has tn
take a look at their countries to realize that these ma
tons lived in rotten mOnarchies or wicked relationships
while the Northwest Europeans who had more bath
rooms, cars, telephones and electric razors per capita,
took to democracy like fish to water conveniently
forgetting the cremation stoves of the Nazis or the Black
and Tans.
Now, it is quite true that the South and East Euro
peans are highly individuaistic, that they are not neces-
sarily the most ideal workers on the assembly line, that
they have, in a way, resisted industrial civilization and
that docility is not their great virtue.
Yet they have a considerable native intelligence.
They can work exceedingly hard. They have a high
ly inventive spirit. And if their countries have even at
normal times land without socialism and communism
this must be laid primarily at the door of small mar
kets with few customers, a very limited production,
and often the absence of natural resources.
Now with Sputniks in the sky, Americans, luckily
for all of us, wake up with the realization that other
nations, even if they are degraded by their political
system, have their skills, their proficiencieS, their know
how"
Disillusionment brings wisdom. After the years of
American self confidence Europe will probably produce
a few %pinprcks. A Swiss paper sarcastically commented
about the invasion of the American skies with noSy
satellites after so many Hungarian prospective immi-
grants had been turned down since their pulmonary
ereignty and exclusiveneSs is over, and a SObered Amer
lea is now facing the arduous task of competing brave
ly with all the other nations of the world the good
ones and the bad ones alike.