RIGHTIST AND LEFTIST OSTRICHES
DALLIN, DAVID J.
Riahtist and Leftist Ostriches By David J. Dallin IN HER SYNDICATED COLUMN Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt recently told her readers about "some very disturbing talk" she heard recently. Many...
...IT WOULD BE A GREAT self-delusion if the defense of the United States were based solely en radar protection, on coast guards, or on great navies and defensive aircraft...
...one day our superiority will end just as Was the case with other happy and rich countries in the course of history...
...I want to know whether the men In Edmonton have shown at much good sense, and as much regard for the welfare of their far-flung constituents,, as have the men in-Regina...
...TO ME THE SITUATION in Canada looks much different from what it does to your other correspondents...
...I wanted' to understand his conclusions...
...I would like, as far as possible, to keep the debate on a factual level...
...This happiness, however, is transient...
...To interfere* in foreign affairs — for instance, to go to Greece with military supplies, to intervene in China, to keep our armies in Europe and in the Far East — means to seek for and to risk conflicts...
...All right...
...He had the courage to be logical to the very end...
...false, but is used as a red-herring in support of the conspiracy of silence seemingly adopted by the press of all nations- to push out of the public mind an experiment which offers the greatest threat to their financial masters...
...What I specially admire about the government of Saskatchewan is its com* binatlon of humanity and practicality...
...Today Moscow is the most dynamic among the continental powers...
...For here is the first attempt at real revolution * (in the best meaning of the term), not in North America or the Western Hemisphere alone, but in the .world!, It is the political marvel of all time's nnd of all places, "Tho Social Credit government was first elected in 1935, when 56 out of 63 constituencies elected Social Credit representatives to the provincial Parliament...
...We have to avoid conflicts and wars...
...So long as Hitler's Germany occupied first place, America's isolation was an asset in Hitler's calculations...
...That even with a complete profitsharing arrangement, whether attained through socialized industry or otherwise, we could not improve one whit our general state of economic- wellbeing, but on the contrary, would in several respects even depreciate that well-being, provided that the same principle of irresponsible creation, control and cancellation of the nation's credit continued in operation...
...Was the Marshall plan a purely economic measure...
...but is at root a struggle between the system of 'legalized counterfeiting' on the one hand and on the other hand all the remaining economic groupings...
...We can't help it...
...Many Congressmen and Senators, concerned about the cost of Europe's rehabilitation, had reached the conclusion that "we would be better off to leave Europe to stew in its own juice, and to devote our time and money to surrounding ourselves with radar protection and every kind of possible) military defense 1 so that we bristle en all our borders...
...Are great expenditures being made mainly to open the gates to international trade...
...priations of over five billion dollars for Europe's rehabilitation have become law, arguments for and against isolationism will inevitably continue as new funds will be required, and decisions on great world issues will have to be made...
...It leads to definite reaction...
...i "Socialism is neither new nor progressive...
...Not only that, but financial power centered its opposition against the new regime with greater vehemence than it had ever done (or has done to date) against any other administration—anywhere...
...wars will inevitably put an end to our golden age...
...The widely-published snort that Alberta is* the place where "Social Credit has been tried and...
...Social Credit is both new and progressive, more radical and revolutionary than anything ever envisaged by any Socialist...
...What we have to do is to withdraw from many spots where we did cast our anchors arid to rely on our own defenses...
...Who knows whether centuries or only decades lie between today and an inevitable long rainy period...
...By WILLIAM E. JOHN The Challenae of Alberta ACORRESPONDENT from National City, California, crashes through with a letter to remind me that Saskatchewan is not the only enterprising and pioneering province in Western Canada...
...he said, "possess riches and enjoy wellbeing on a scale unprecedented in history...
...Roosevelt disagrees, of course...
...His stormy temperament, nimble thinking, and great intellectual honesty made Charles Beard an outstanding personality in every respect...
...First, by out-New-Dealing the Roosevelt New Deal at least four, to one— though not" through a socializatlon-ofproperty program—not through the unsoilhd and ; unworkable policy of •soak-the-rich,' of 'rob-Peter-to-payPaul.* * * * "IN 1940, despite all severe reverses, Social Credit won again by taking 35 out of 57 seats (legislative seats had been reduced by redistribution from 63 to 57...
...The excursion to Edmonton and Calgary is about to be organized...
...Now the great historian hesitated For a minute he remained silent...
...A few months before his death, he unfolded in private conversation the most comprehensive philosophy of American isolationism I have ever heard...
...Taken separately, each of the five great nations of Europe and Asia is today weaker than the United States...
...One would think that by this time/all old Socialists (instead of just a few of them, including myself) would have lived and experienced enough to have their eyes opened to two seemingly inescapable conclusions: "(1) That economic collectivism, of whatever variety .or by whatever name, cannot preserve, much less extend, democracy as we conceive it— that "socialization" of our economic life must, lead to totalitarianism and destroy in the process nil those values which it set out to serve (nor is it necessary to cite Russia as the primary evidence of this...
...A Socialist government...
...The Social Credit government has survived /our elections—and this despite the actions of the courts, the Governor General of Canada, and of the Dominion Government at Ottawa, in preventing Alberta from adopting any of its direct Social Credit legislation which had, of course, immediately been passed...
...The political side of the Marshall Plan is far more important than the purely economic issue...
...On top of all this, even Nature took a hand to assist the opposition, in the form of a disastrous' drought which brought, fearfuj re-^, percussions throughout the province, in damage to both crops and herds., Everyone said the new government' was finished "But the result was a greater surprise^—a greater political upset—than the recent election of Truman...
...Let them do it...
...How has this provincial government achieved, this success...
...I had been eagerly waiting to inquire: "And what if at the next stage of these developments the new power, occupying and running Europe, woukj try to jump to the British Isles and take over England...
...With "the gentlemen who were emitting these thoughts...
...The entire power of the organized opposition of press, radio, -banks, insurance and mortgage companies was marshalled against Aberhart and Social Credit ¦ almost before the new premier had time to sit down...
...Her main objection to them is, however, purely economic: since the United States has to find markets for its goods, it must be interested *in the speedy recovery of other nations, especially of Europe...
...It is his fixsd opinion that it is from the province o f Alberta that there shines forth the true light of the North...
...failed, is not only wholly...
...And what about the Soviet and German Communist forces taking over Western Germany, in such a case, and approaching the borders of France...
...But then French Communist forces might seize power in France and contribute to the^ growing strength of* a sovietized Europe...
...and the consistency of his thought always made conversation with him fascinating...
...Look to Alberta...
...Of course," he answered, 'and the sooner the better...
...The new government inherited a seemingly overwhelming mountain of debt...
...But let the man speak in his own resounding tones: "I object to your assumption that something prooressive—something very marvelous—has developed in the province of Saskatchewan...
...Discussions of the political scenery will be accepted from far and, wide...
...Self-isolation ot the United States always means indirect, hut important help to the strongest, the most aggressive ¦ power of Eurasia...
...Pleaso don't stop with Saskatchewan...
...The people of this country...
...I cam* up with my- trump card...
...Yet, each of them is a considerable force, each possesses resources, manpower, industrial and military genius...
...At this point our discussion] ended...
...Why not go just one step farther west to look for your example of progress actually being practiced In this, our Western Hemisphere...
...We must try to have this period of well-being last as long as possible...
...It was isolationism driven to nonsense...
...It would be a grave mistake to suppose that the United States would be able to resist if the world were united against it in one way or another...
...He is convinced, in fact, that our friends under* the leadership of "Tommy" Douglas are following a will o' the wisp down a false trail...
...The new leader called an election in 1944 (a year early), and Social Credit won 51 of the 57 places...
...I admired his consistency, but it was absurd...
...No, there are political motives behind this policy: the European Recovery Program is but a part of the process of political consolidation of the West, which was precipitated by the postwar policies of the Soviet government...
...He certainly realized what the loss,of Britain as an ally and as a military base would mean to the United States, But then, as if overcoming his own doubts, he answered: "We can't help it...
...Are you in favor," I asked Charles Beard, "of withdrawing from Germany and Austria, since the presence of American forces in Europe may lead to incidents and conflicts...
...The theory of Social Credit interests me not at all...
...2f That our economic struggle is no longer, what the Marxist thinks it is—is no longer basically a struggle between employer and employed...
...They have what she calls an ."ostrich complex...
...Why not look to Alberta rather than to Saskatchewan...
...We enjoy freedom such as few other peoples hare ever known...
...In 1943 Aberhart died and was succeeded by Premier Manning...
...Henry Wallace is the main proponent of isolationism in public discussions, and Vito Marcantonio is its main spokesman in Congress...
...THIS VIEW OF AID to Europe Seems one-sided...
...Last August 17, the fourth Social Credit government was returned to office, again with 51 out of 57 seats, Manning himself polling a record-breaking number of first preference votes in one of Edmonton's constituencies...
...And then no technical inventions, no systemof defense, would p^ove able to secure the independence of a nation almost surrounded by hostile forces...
...if they combine, or if compelled tocombine, their power would by far exceed that of the United States...
...therefore the most pronounced isolationists of today are men of the so-called "left...
...It penetrates to the very root of present-day economics...
...Beard remained consistent, almost stubborn...
...THE MOST INTERESTING and frankest isolationist I have met in recent years was Charles A. Beard, the eminent American historian who died last September...
Vol. 32 • April 1949 • No. 17
