Is Tomorrow Hitler's? 200 Questions on the Battle of MankindKnickerbocker, H. R. (Hubert Renfro)
History
Is Tomorrow Hitler's? 200 Questions on the Battle of Mankind
Knickerbocker, H. R. (Hubert Renfro)
Europe -- Politics and government -- 1918-1945; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945 -- United States
Just as many have made the inquiry in California as in Texas or
Pennsylvania. The answer is that we cannot, and if we reflect upon it,
we do not want to put any limitations upon free speech for American
citizens in peacetime. Until we are actually at war it is the right of
every American to advocate, if he likes, that we should ally ourselves
with Germany and go to war against Great Britain. The distinguishing
characteristic of democracy is not merely that the majority shall
govern, but that the majority should always give to the minority
exactly the same rights and privileges as the majority enjoys.
We often overlook the fact that this is the essential nature
of democracy. Rule by majority may obtain under any successful
dictatorship. Hitler undoubtedly has a strong majority of Germans
behind him and will probably continue to have it until he falls by
force from abroad. But that does not make his rule democratic. He
refuses to give the minority opposing him any rights whatever. He
considers it contemptible weakness of the democracies that they should
protect the rights of their minorities, and even of minority groups
who, if they were to come to power, would abolish democracy.
Here is our central difficulty. We recognize that Lindbergh and his
followers, the Nazis and Fascists, as well as that other antidemocratic
group, the American Communists, would destroy America as we know it if
they were successful in their policies. Yet if we suppress them for
anything less than formally treasonable acts, we shall have violated
the most precious tenet of democracy. Giving aid and comfort to the
enemy in wartime is a formally treasonable act, and we may take
consolation in the fact that Wheeler and Lindbergh and their lesser
associates are not likely to be able to continue after we have gone
to war to render to Hitler the aid and comfort they now render him.
At this moment, when we are not yet in a formal state of war, about
the most effective control that can be exercised over Lindbergh and
his associates is for the President to have identified him publicly
as a “Vallandigham,” and for others to do what they can to expose his
purposes.
Q. _Why do you single out Lindbergh for special attention, since there
are many others of equal prominence who are also helping Hitler, such
as ex-President Hoover, Senators Wheeler and Nye, Congressman Fish, and
so on?_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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