The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1961-04-14
Editorials
Editorials
Operation Abolition

Yes, we are referring to the much-discussed movie
this time. A passing comment two weeks ago Operation
Absoluti0n, March 81 brought us some less-than-mild
reactions, lSee Letters to Editor this week..
THE FILM OPERATION ABOLITION" is a sin
eere attempt to show how the Communists inspired
and led riots against the House Committee on I'm
American Activities at San Francisco in May 1860. That
the riots were essentially communist-inspired and led
is verified by ]. Edgar Hoover in the pamphlet Com
muniSt Target Youth"
The Catholic Times favors the purpose of the
film and indeed has publicized many local shoWings
in its pages.
HOWEVER, ACCUSATIONS have been brought
against the makers of Operation Abolition that their
editing of the film obtained from TV stations) has dis
torted the sequence of events and that their common
tary accompanying the film reports as facts events
which did not take place at the time and are not sup
ported by the film itself. The effect of these alleged
distortions is to suggest very strongly that All The
Demonstrators at San Francisco were communist, fell
low travellers, or communist dupes.
0 DEFENDERS of the film have chat ged its
critics with being soft on Communism and also implied
that anyone who opposes the Committee on Un-Ameri-
can Activities on any count is collaborating, conscious
ly or unconsciouSly, with the Communist party.
Fulton Lewis iii, technical director and narrator
of the film, wrote America magazine april 8, 1861
that Operation Abolition" intends to prove no more
than that did incite and lead the non-Com-
muniSt students into violence"
Unfortunately this statement is beied by the film
itself where there is only one non-Communist group of
demonstrators mentioned and no reasons given for the
protests.
THE NARRATOR AND CONGRESSMAN who
make the opening and closing statements set the en-
fire protest In a context of CommuniSt conspiracy. AS
America says, if the film-makers did not intend to make
a general indictment of the whole demonstration as
Communist, it doesn't come through in the movie.
We feel then that showing of the film should be
accompanied by an explanation of these factors and
are heartened that this Is now being done in some
quarters.
THIS WHOLE QUESTION goes beyond the film
or its distribution. The case against Communism is
strong enough without resorting to lies or deception.
AS an editorial in the Kansas City Catholic Reporter
says: IF we can't fight communism with truth, the
battle doesn't have much point; we've already lost"
Douglas Hyde, and former editor
OF the London Daily Worker, made this point 9 wears
ago when he wrote that anti Communist campaigns
based upon, or including, distortions of the truth,
eXaggerations, or downright untruthS help no one but
The Communists themselves. He said "NO matter
whether nine-tenths of the opponents case is correct,
the Communist can pick on one inaccuracy or untruth,
expose it as false, concentrate all his propaganda upon
it AND proceed to discredit the whole of the other
man SEdSe as a consequence" Fl
WE CANNOT CAIN then bv living or any other
SIN even IN the best cause. And speaking of such things
: 1tfs also wrong to smear ones opponent in controversy
as j. Edgar Hoover has confirmed.
IF u SIDE CANNOT be presented without in
vective or vltuperation then we do not have an ade-
quate case. The Christian Science Monitor quotes
Robert WEIGH, founder of the John Birch Society. as
saying that the tactics of the group are sometimes
"mean and dirty" If this be true we must deplore and
disavow such tactics. The end never justifies the
means.
WE WELCOME THE enthusiasm of our laty in
the battle against Communism. The Church has been
waging this war for over 80 years and the Catholic
Press has exposed the evils of this atheistic philosophy
more than any other medium.
But we urge our people to initiate Christ and
overcome evil with good without compromise of
principle, Charges of communist dupe' on the one
hand and fascist on the other achieve nothing. We
must work for truth and justice remembering the
dictum In essentials, unity; in doubtful things, lib
erty; in all things, charity" GAF