The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1962-03-22
By State Sen. James E. Lee
Prentiss. Mississippi

The good citizens of Mis-
sissippi, comprising and be
ing nearly all of the people,
both white and colored, in
our great State. do not have
any desire to live in a COM
munist state. Has anyone
ever heard of any Mississip-
plan who became a commu-
mist. If there may be one, or
a half a dozen, who have
joined the communist con
spiracy, or who still remain
here and espouse the commu-
mist cause, they are well hid
den ard their influence is
nil. In case of any hot war
with yhe communist world
any -pro-communist would be
short lived indeed, in Mis-
sissippi. If any communists
there be now in our State, or
from our State, they are cas-
es of warped mortality ard
nartially blinded intellect
What sane Mississippians can
see, hear and read about are
the thousands of happy
people in communist East
Germany who risk their lives
daily to flee from the tyran-
ny of communism ard its
mental, spiritual and econo-
mic poverty and degradation
of the vast majority of its
subjects.
So, to ask the question a.
bout whether Mississippi peo-
pie want communism would
seem absurd under such a
state of affairs. But, as much
as Mississippians may abhor
communism, wher. it is clear,
outspokan and recognizable,
could it be possible that some
of their representatives Tin
both houses of the legisla-
ture) may be misled into vot-
ing to force upon them a
pure. simple and rank COM
munistic handling of the pri-
vate property rights of Mis-
sissippi citizens through a
central committee" to con-
troll the affairs of the citizen
for the good of the state.
If it be supposed that this
could never happen in Mis-
sissippi, let us ask some
questions about the matter.
What phase of the communis-
tic plan and wav of life is
more typical of that evil ard
more repulsive to freedom,
private prorertv, private in
itiative and the American
way of life than the commu-
rized farms Tin Russia and
China, particularly, that YOU
have often read about called
&c 81, or similar
names? Would we SUPPORT the
idea of forcino a hundred
rnidhboring farmers who
own land to Join and become
members of a Commune,
and to have their rFivate
acres turned over TO the cen
tral committee for control
and operation. What or. this
earth can be more commu-
nistic?
If you were q farmer. or
if YOU owned a farm operat-
ed bv a tenant under full
contract which YOU and he
had entered into. or if YOU
owned 3 farm which YOU de-
sired to hold for the time be-
irlg without operation in
SUMMARY. if YOU were Or are
a free Mississippi landowner.
would YOU want your land
from your own right
10 control and to use as Won
see fit and placed in
Commune" for the good
If the state? Would vou Ike
It even if YOU were patted on
the hack (fipurativelv or 1t
arallv) ard told that it was
For vo,,r own GOOD. for the
1ood Of the state. and would
10 in the best interest Of FIJI
parerations as well as
vcurca1f? Or would von SOW
von did nof want anv part of
] scheme tho+ would commu-
n'-a the land?
tt the farm should thus Re
,cmmunized Their will Ne
+c-rr o-d citv land not fo'-
Icm7 what would prevent 4ho
.r;~c;r1e from anplicat;cr :,
III c:+v real estate so Hhot y
likewise be tr~rcd
Nor "a 4 central committee
f~r hsndline ard oneratior
tho good Of the civ a~d
FEa host inte~eet Of all the
real estate owners?