The Pittsburgh Press (July 11, 1941)
Agrees with Pegler that immigration should be stopped
Editor, The Pittsburgh Press:
Westbrook Pegler expresses his belief that it would be wise to close the books against the naturalization of aliens. I’m grateful that he brought this subject up and heartily concur with it for two reasons:
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That the time is gone when immigrants were a godsend and badly needed here to build and develop this country into a great nation. One hundred and thirty million people and its future native growth ought to be sufficiently large with which to continue efficiently and successfully to manage our country.
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That the naturalized American citizen will be a thing of the past. It will not only remove one ever-present important cause for disunity, but also relieve large groups of foreign-born people from an inferiority complex and a frustrated sense of justice.
These people are suffering greatly, mentally and spiritually, at present. For most of them, with the probable exception of those in the last five or 10 years, came here to improve their former living standard and with the honest intention to become loyal and law-abiding citizens.
They swore with a clear conscience to defend their newly adopted homeland and to uphold its Constitution. When they did so, however, they were not told that they may have to acquire a dual nationality, go to Great Britain, Russia, China or anywhere else, and to be willing to commit eventual matricide to fulfill their obligations.
Participating actively in denouncing and attacking their mother countries would mean just that to many naturalized Americans. Except from fiends, such conduct couldn’t possibly be expected from normal human beings, because children usually love their mothers, no matter what faults they may have. Accusing a large segment of our naturalized citizens, therefore, as insincere or inferior types of Americans because they are not applauding enthusiastically the foreign policy of our present administration seems to me wholly unjust.
I agree with Mr. Pegler that such pronounced sentiments, in times of crisis, may hamper the effective carrying out of our national or foreign policies, and firmly believe that it would be in the best interest of our nation to stop immigration completely in order to transform it ultimately and in due time into a truly homogeneous one.
WILLIAM TIELSCH
Sees Committee having its way
Editor, The Pittsburgh Press:
In the early spring of 1940, an organization was sponsored by Thomas Lamont (Wendell Willkie’s friend and political backer) of J. P. Morgan & Co. to prepare the people for entry into the war. This organization, now known as the “Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies,” held a mass meeting May 7, 1941 for the announced purpose of “preparing the mind of America for convoying.” This was after Mr. Roosevelt had said, “convoys means shooting and shooting means war.”
Two months later, on July 7, it seems that Mr. Lamont is having his way with both war and convoys as Mr. Roosevelt has landed Marines in Iceland, an island held by the British and at war with the Axis, and lying in the center of the German blockade area. Mr. Roosevelt has also ordered the navy to keep the lanes of communication open between there and North America. This in spite of public opinion that is 80% opposed to war and convoys.
America does not need to be ashamed of our determination to keep our sons at home and to prefer the task of building a higher civilization here for the world to copy. Mr. Knox may stand before a Canadian audience proclaiming his shame that he, personally, is not now standing among the Communists with fixed bayonets waiting the order to charge, but most Americans are particular about their company.
It it time for a rebirth of belief in America’s glorious future and a pride and respect for our past. The United States was born of tyranny and amid a world of tyrants. Why is there any more reason to fear that liberty will not survive today and be as bright a torch amid the present darkness as it was in 1776?
Is there a disbelief in Americans and America that prompts the great fear that if we stay out of this war we will not be big enough and strong enough to preserve our capitalistic system? American labor and farmers believe that if America stays out of this war we will be strong in manpower, material, and morale that we will be in a position to set our own standards by which we will deal with the outside world.
German collectivism is no more to be feared than Russian collectivism which was born in 1917. Yes, there was a period following the World War when some people feared that free capitalism was doomed; that all the world would be shaken by that venomous octopus Communism, but this is 1941 and we are more capitalistic than ever.
DONALD P. BRAHM
Connellsville, PA
Favors clamping down on Red agents in U.S.
Editor, The Pittsburgh Press:
President Roosevelt’s making the United States the ally of Soviet Russia may become the severest blow ever dealt Americanism. Unless he at once takes action clearly to the contrary, he will be sanctioning the Red activities in this country – the Communist-inspired strikes and the infiltration of Communists into the government. It means that we allow the Red agents and fellow travelers to spread their anti-American doctrines of hatred, prejudice and destruction of high ideals and morals.
We the people should decide whom we will help. Shall it be those who are hindering our own national defense? Shall it be the enemy of the only nation in Europe that paid its debt to us? If that is present day Americanism, New Deal Americanism, then why do we still revere Washington and Jefferson and Lincoln?
Stalin is neither the friend not ally of anyone. He hopes to rule an empire that will include the United States. Yet our President has promised to give him aid.
Now is the time to break down the subversive activities of Soviet Russia and to strengthen Americanism. We can best aid the Russian people by letting the Stalin blood-stained regime collapse. If they give in to Hitler without a struggle they do not deserve to be saved; but if they want freedom and fight for it, we should aid them against emperor Stalin as well as against emperor Hitler.
At present, we are not in the position to sell munitions to Russia, largely because its agents have tied up production. We must not weaken our defense by selling war materials to our enemy.
If we are to aid Russia, Communism in America must be first wiped out, so that we will be helping the Russian people and not Stalin and his Red racketeers.
EMIL W. KLIMACK
Scottsdale, PA
Draft age student gives view on war
Editor, The Pittsburgh Press:
Recently, Mr. Lindbergh has been violently criticized for being a “defeatist” and a “pro-Nazi.” He stated that our country is unprepared for a foreign war.
But let us forget our emotions and analyze the present situation. If we declared war today, we would enter the war with a national debt of $65 billion. Every year that we would remain in the war would double that debt. Now I am not much of an economist but it appears to me that there must be a limit somewhere or else the American people will lose faith in our economic system. Germany experienced this in inflation a few years ago. We must also consider the terrible depression that would result from an over-expansion of industry caused by a major war.
We must also consider whether or not an attempt to defeat Hitler would be worth the cost of the lives of hundreds of thousands of American boys. The defeat of the Kaiser in 1918 surely didn’t accomplish much. The munition makers of France and England soon made billions of dollars supplying another Kaiser.
I admit that I have a selfish viewpoint. If war were declared, I, unlike most of the Congressmen and Cabinet members, would be taken from college and from my home to fight. Gladly though would I and thousands of other young Americans give our lives, if by so doing we would end the menace of Hitler and the continual economic squabbles of all nations.
However, we must eliminate at home those conditions which cause men like Hitler and Stalin to become powerful. We must prepare ourselves to such a degree that no combination of dictators would be able to penetrate our shores.
Before we attempt to correct the evils of the world, let us make ourselves secure at home.
WILLIAM E. DUFFIELD
Uniontown, PA
Good citizenship is seen as bulwark of defense
Have you ever stopped to think that more important than the national defense of making armies is the national defense of making good citizens? If anyone, it is the parents who have most influence over their children – the citizens of tomorrow. They are the cause of their children’s behavior, for whatever a parent thinks, the child imitates by carrying out the thought that they have been brought up to believe is correct.
If children are brought up in an atmosphere of hate for others, jealousy and greed, they will not only be bad citizens but also breeders of war and crime.
If, on the other hand, they are raised in an atmosphere of love and understanding of human rights, then we would have nothing to worry about.
MARION LEVANT
5660 Forward Ave.