By Arno Clement Gaebelein
The End is Net Yet—The Plight of the United States—The Recognition of Russia—Increasing Chaos—The Great DeclineWe must now turn to the United States and its internal conditions. We remind our readers once more of the remarkable words of that great, far-seeing historian, Macaulay, who almost a hundred years ago made a prediction as to the future of our American Republic. "Your Republic will be pillaged and ravaged in the twentieth century, just as the Roman Empire was by the Barbarians in the fifth century, with this difference, that the devastators of the Roman Empire came from abroad, while your Barbarians will be the people of your own country and the product of your own institutions." When we wrote our Conflict of the Ages, we added, after quoting his words—"God save our country from such a fate." In view of what has taken place during the last three years we fear the great historian's prophecy may be fulfilled. In the Congressional Report No. 2290—"Investigation of Communistic Propaganda," given to the House of Representatives we find the information, well attested by facts, that the Communists, under the direction of Moscow inaugurated a nation-wide propaganda to overthrow the United States Government. Year after year this assumed greater proportions. The same was done in England and in 1930 Mr. Ramsay McDonald, the leader of the Labor Party in Great Britain, brought about the recognition of the Atheistic Republic. Diplomatic relations were resumed. A powerful protest was then launched against this unholy alliance. The action was branded as "The Government's fatal step." In the London Morning Post the following statement was made: "Our politicians for the sake of filthy lucre will dare to bring these men into our country and send our men to theirs, all because they fear they will suffer commercially." It was well said "for filthy lucre's sake." The 'honor of God and the welfare of the people had no "consideration. Three years later the United States did what Esau did. He sold his birthright for "the red pottage." So the United States in 1933 consummated the "Esau deal." But England's eyes were soon opened. The vicious alliance brought its fruitage in an increased agitation to corrupt Great Britain and change it into a communistic state. Nor did the commercial anticipations materialize, so that Great Britain terminated the relationship. But we must follow the events of the years which preceded the recognition of the Reds by the United States, the increasing propaganda, the onward march of radicalism, the spreading lawlessness and moral corruption. It came to light in the Spring of 1930 that American Communists and the agents of Moscow had secret meetings in Danzig, Germany, to formulate plans for intensive Communist action in the United States. A million rubles, that is, five hundred thousand dollars, were given by Moscow to spread Communism in America. The fund was to be used especially in Chicago, Philadelphia and Baltimore. The movement included the appointment of about forty "Instructors" to spread the "Red Gospel" throughout the United States. This propaganda was widely felt. Many prominent men sounded a warning, but while these activities were going on the country was asleep, thinking that our boasted "rule by the people and for the people", the different institutions, the "American Federation of Labor" were redproof, and little was done to counteract the insidious propaganda. The investigation carried on by a congressional committee uncovered the nationwide propaganda. "The friends of the Soviet Union" among whom we find modernistic preachers, rationalistic educators, and others, staged an opposition meeting as soon as the findings of this committee were published. Four thousand enthusiastic Communists packed the Star Casino, Lexington Ave. and One Hundred and Seventh Street, New York, and alternately booed and cheered as seven speakers denounced the Fish Committee investigating radicalism, and lauded the Union of the Soviet Republics. The Jewish editor of "Die Freiheit," Jewish Communist daily, explained how he testified before the committee, which, he said was merely an anti-Communist organization. The sympathy for Sovietism among clergymen, educators, college professors grew constantly, till in 1935 we find thousands of these rationalists turning to the left, siding with Soviet Russia. It was a sickening sight when in the Spring of 1935 a procession of ten thousand Socialists and Communists, marching through the streets of New York City, was headed by one hundred "clergymen," some in cap and gown, others in clergy garb. Then came various public demonstrations in Washington, D. C. Hunger marches, unemployment demonstrations, the veterans' march demanding the bonus and others. As it was proved Communism had everything to do with these demonstrations. In 1931 Isaac Don Levine in a biography, published by the "Cosmopolitan Book Corporation" said—"that the destruction of American Capitalism and the Sovietization of the United States is one of the chief aims of Stalin." According to this biography, Stalin is personally conducting the Communist activities in the United States. He quotes a paragraph from one of Stalin's speeches: "The American Communist Party is one of those few in the world upon which history has laid a task of a decisive character from the viewpoint of the world revolutionary movement. I think that the moment is not far off when a revolutionary crisis will develop in America. And when a revolutionary crisis develops in America, that will be the beginning of the end of world capitalism as a whole. It is essential that the American Communist party should be capable of meeting that historical moment fully prepared, and of assuming the leadership of the impending class struggle in America. Every effort and every means must be prepared in preparing for that, comrades. For that end the American Communist must be prepared and bolshevized." In the presence of such an audacious propaganda the American self-security spirit is inexcusable. During the summer of 1931 the former Premier of Belgium visited the United States. Monsieur Theunis gave a number of public addresses in which he warned against the aggressions. We quote from one of his addresses:
These are not only sound and wholesome words, but they are as true as true can be. Why did America not listen to them? Why had our present administration to rush into the recognition of Sovietism, a prominent step in the direction of governmental suicide? One of the most serious aspects of the Communistic propaganda is their activities among children and young people. In a thousand different ways they try to influence them against our Government and to inject the poison of atheism into their young minds. The "Young Communist League" is the American section of the "Young Communist International" of Moscow, the central organization of the Revolutionary Youth of the World. In our country this league is bitterly hostile to and does everthing it can to oppose and undermine military training in schools and colleges, civilian military training camps, the National Guard, Reserve Officer's Training Corps and other organizations. Then they have hundreds of summer camps with thousands of young people of both sexes and they receive instructions in elementary revolutionary tactics, while hatred of the United States, hatred of our flag and hatred for religion is taught them. In the three years preceding the resumption of diplomatic relationship between the United States and the Soviets, frequently threats of violence were made by the Communists. In 1932 the Novy-Mir a communistic daily, reprinted a Russian poem which appeared in Pravda published in Moscow. We give a literal translation:
Yet on the plea "this is a free country" these increasing threats passed unnoticed. But threat of revolution and planning revolution is not freedom of speech, it is treason. In April 1932 Representative Eslick from Tennessee raised his voice against this increasing communistic revolutionary activity and suggested legislation against it.
Legislative measures were adopted, but the full enforcement is lacking. It is said that there are a large number of foreign agitators, these vicious trouble makers, under sentence of deportation, yet they are allowed to remain here and continue in their pernicious work. Who in Washington is responsible for this? Are there camouflaged revolutionists in Washington holding official positions who obstruct the execution of these laws? The question "Should Russia be Recognized?" was not a new question. Since the close of the world-war it was brought up again and again. But our noble and patriotic Presidents rejected all efforts which were made to accomplish this. But the recognition question was systematically pressed from coast to coast. Especially prominent in this agitation we find infidel college professors, and the modernistic leaders of apostate Christendom, having abandoned faith in God's revelation and true Christianity, turned Socialist. Then a certain class of business men also favored the recognition, as they expected an enormous trade with the Soviets. On the negative side we find lined up all patriotic societies, the rank and file of all intelligent, loyal and sane Americans. True Christians en masse opposed recognition and friendship of a government whose program is "Down with Capitalism! Down with God! Down with religion and Down with the Church!" Much of this agitation for recognition was engineered from Moscow. The Soviets themselves had admitted that they could not exist without foreign aid. Were the United States, England, Germany, France and Italy to stop trading with Russia, complete collapse would follow in a short time. Strong warnings and objections to recognition were sounded. The Executive Committee of the "Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York" in a set of resolutions demanded the economic ostracism of Soviet Russia. Here are some of the findings and statements of this great commercial body:
Yet all these warnings passed unheeded. The agitation continued. The Soviets themselves with their five year plan, in which they ignored all economic laws, made great efforts to save themselves. Litvinoff-Finkelstein appeared with his lying peaceful declarations before the "League of Nations." It was at a time when the Soviets' war preparations were assuming greater proportions. To show the lies of the godless Soviets we mention the following. When Litvinoff-Finkelstein appeared in Geneva with his peace propaganda, at the same time in the summer of 1931 the official organ Comsomolskya Pravada, printed a fiery appeal to youth, calling upon them to devote that summer to war-training. Among the advocates of recognizing Russia we find the leading modernists of America. In an article printed in the organ of Liberalism, "The Christian Century" Dr. Sherwood Eddy said: "Why is it that, with all its glaring evils of dictatorship, tyranny, and the shameful treatment of its class enemies, atheistic communism in Russia is actually building a social order of greater economic justice, less neglected unemployment, more racial solidarity and brotherhood, of cleaner political fife in its cities, with less lawlessness, crime, bootlegging, graft, racketeering, prostitution and corruption than in our own country?" These laudatory words were not true three years ago, nor are they true today. The former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in Washington, Mr. Eliot Wadsworth, now a member of a leading engineering firm, on his return from Russia, told an entirely different story. Radicalism at the same time assumed alarming proportions in our institutions of learning. One Professor of Education at Columbia University, a disciple of John Dewey, a member of radical organizations, denounced "flag-saluting in schools" the teaching of "military science in colleges" and "the glorification of war in history". In New York City "The National Students League" was organized. According to one Joseph Cohen, a student in Columbia University, the league is a students' revolutionary organization. He got up and said: "We have concluded that the way out for the students is the revolutionary way out, and that no other way exists for American students." Then arose one Arnold Johnson, student in the Union Theological Seminary, a hotbed of the most subtle infidelity and socialistic propaganda, and he said: "We students have been the victims of the educational institutions in which we have been prisoners. We have nothing to lose but the chains of drugged minds." In the early part of 1932 a serious riot in connection with the Ford Company took place in Detroit, Michigan. Over five thousand Communists and their sympathizers crowded into the Cass Technical High School Auditorium where a mock trial was held with communists as witnesses and judges. The whole Ford family was found guilty of murder with others, because a number of the Reds were killed and injured. The Northwestern High School in Detroit was used for another meeting of communists, indicating that these revolutionists are given free access to public institutions. How prominent these agitations became in Colleges, Universities, Theological Seminaries, we reprint a number of newspaper headliners, collected by the National Republic:
We give only a fraction of these headliners.—The report also records many student—strikes and other activities which flavor of rebellion. Nor must we forget that the Red defending "American Civil Liberties Union" encouraged this kind of a spirit. In the fall of 1932 this Red defending organization, which numbers among its members atheists, infidels of every description including leading modernistic preachers and educators, issued a twelve page pamphlet soliciting funds for "legal action against the lawless New York Police". The N. Y. Police, one of the finest in the country, did only their duty when they took drastic action against the violent revolutionary activities of Communist leaders. Among those who joined in protest we find Henry Sloan Coffin, President of Union Theological Seminary; Prof. Charles Beard; Prof. John Dewey and Susan Brandeis, daughter of one of the judges of the Supreme Court. Shortly after this appeal, the same Red defending union issued a six page pamphlet entitled "The Right to Advocate Violence". Among the organizations which are linked with revolutionary societies we find the "Methodist Federation for Social Service". They claim to work for "a new social order". This Methodist bureau is cooperating with the "International Labor Defence" the Communist branch of the "International Red Aid of Moscow", which organization is agitating strikes, riots and moves for the overthrow of the United States government by force and violence. The Methodists have other similar organizations like the "Committee on Militarism in Education" and "The Labor Research Association" which circulate a lot of radical literature. One of their leaders is the former head of the "Federation of Churches," modernistic socialistic Bishop McConnell. Whole Methodist Conferences like the "Rock River Conference" held in 1933 in Dixon, Illinios, adopted Socialistic teachings; others followed the same trend. How they have progressed and gone from bad to worse may be learned from the startling fact that in the year 1935 preachers denounced the righteous indignation of true American citizens expressed in an anti-red campaign.
Such is the religious "progress" in the United States! If such a thing had happened in 1900 these "clergymen" would have been denounced as traitors. But it is all the fruitage of the encroaching religious apostasy. They deny the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints. But it is not the worst. After Mr. Roosevelt had been elected President, 286 American Colleges represented by 800 college presidents and professors sent to the President-elect a petition making a strong plea for the recognition of the Soviets. The effort emanated from the "Reconciliation Fellowship" which has carried on for years a work of a socialistic-revolutionary character. At the same time the "American Alliance of the United States" composed of straight thinking loyal American citizens appealed to the next President not to recognize the Soviets. The agitations for recognition increased and talks of a violent revolution increased, while prominent leaders warned against it. Said former Vice-President Charles Dawes in a letter: "Socialism leads to Communism and Communism leads straight to hell." In an excellent article in the National Republic March, 1933, Mr. Reynolds said the following: "Will our Government abide by the vast majority of our citizens who are opposed to the recognition of Soviet Russia, as has been our steadfast policy over the past sixteen years and which without doubt has been the only logical course we could or should have followed, or will the new administration comply with the minority demands of a handful of so-called 'progressives,' parlor pinks, radical professors and special-interest groups, and reverse this policy? Practically every real American organization in the United States has gone on record as definitely opposing recognition, including those representing labor, farmers, veterans, civic, fraternal, church, commercial and industrial groups, and if recognition is given it will be in direct opposition to the will of the majority of the American people. "Recognition will legalize the unfurling of the Red flag throughout the United States, over embassies, consulates and trade bureaus of the Soviet. The Red flag will fly legally protected for the first time in American history. And through protection and diplomatic immunity what goes on in our nation beneath that flag cannot be prevented. Do you endorse that?" The new President had taken office. Astounding things began to happen. Virtually a new brand of dictatorship, unknown in American history, was assumed by him. He surrounded himself with a set of advisers called a "Brain Trust" to end depression and unemployment. A number of these "Brain Trusters" were known as radicals, advocating an un-American program. To what it has led, how it has plunged the United States into greater confusion, instead of decreasing, growing non-employment, we reserve for later pages. The Recognition question, next to our economic and financial ills, became the most burning question. The Chicago Tribune contained in May, 1933, the following true and excellent Editorial:
As it became known that the new President, surrounded by his famous "Brain Trusters" would not heed a nation's protest, appeals were made to him to beware of recognition, and to follow in the footsteps of Presidents before him, from Wilson to Hoover. On the other hand certain business men and industrial leaders saw nothing but the "red pottage." It was their lure. But if people ever were fooled these selfish industrial leaders were made fools of. To what the recognition of the Soviets would lead was anticipated by many. It has all been more than realized. The President ignored the protest of millions of our best citizens. To show the immensity of this protest we quote that excellent American Monthly the National Republic:
The modernists, claiming that they represented millions of church-members, kept on urging recognition. One of their magazines The World Tomorrow under the editorship of Kirby Page, Reinhold Niebuhr, Rev. John N. Sayre, Bishop McConnell and Rabbi Edward Israel recommended to their readers as a good book Lenin's revolutionary work Toward the Seizure of Power. In the same month Germany had hundreds of copies of this pernicious book consigned to the flames. Well, it came! Russia was recognized by our new administration as a help to bring back material prosperity. Every true American patriotic citizen hung his head in shame. And Christians realized that a big downward step had been taken by America. They knew that it could not have the approval of God and that His blessing would be withheld from a nation which claims to maintain a righteous government, and joins hands with murderers whose one ambition is to destroy law and order. A high European authority said—"The United States is courting disaster in recognizing the Soviets. The Soviets can neither respect nor fulfil the clauses of the agreement." The notorious Litvinoff came to our shores. He was welcomed in the "White House," saluted as an honored and welcomed guest. Agreements were made, one of them that all red propaganda should cease in America. But an atheistic, a godless government can no more be trusted than a vicious cat. Feed it and it will scratch and bite your hand. Then followed that which we rightly may call "Our American Disgrace", one of the darkest blots upon the pages of American history. Before Litvinoff left our shores November 24, 1933, a banquet in his honor was arranged and given in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel of New York City. Among the guests were such men as Gerard Swope, Mr. Atterbury, President of the Pennsylvania R.R.; Mr. Houston of the Baldwin Locomotive works; the son of Thomas Edison; Owen D. Young; Henry Morgenthau, Sr. and a lot of Pinks, the sickly looking pink "clergy" and others to do homage to the atheist. Says Time of December 4, 1933—"As Comrade Litvinoff waddled in to take his place beneath the Crossed Red Flag and Stars and Stripes, the "Star Spangled Banner" brought all to their feet, and few sat down when the organ switched into the Internationale, the Red Soviets' hymn." As probably a very few of our readers have seen or know the correct text of this song, we print it in full—
Even before Litvinoff had set sail he gave evidence that the agreement "not to carry on revolutionary agitation in the United States" would not be followed. His lies were discovered later and soon the results of the "Red pottage Esau Deal" appeared, till in 1935 they have assumed the proportions of the most threatening menace in American history. The President appointed one W. Bullitt ambassador to the Soviets. He has been known for many years as a Communist sympathizer. He was accused by British newspapers in 1919 of being on the payroll of Lenin. He devoted all his energy and available means to bring about Russian recognition. His efforts became so persistent in the face of Woodrow Wilson's opposition to recognition, that he was accused by Mj. Tumulty, Secretary to President Wilson, of having brought about the physical collapse of that great Democratic President. His appointment was one of the blunders of Roosevelt and showed his sympathy with Sovietism. Would such a man, whose life has been devoted to Communism properly represent true American interests in Soviet Russia? And now before we follow the trend of events in our country and review the increasing serious world-conditions up to 1935, we must give some attention to the religious and moral conditions in the United States. Has there been any progress and improvement? Did the years of depression and increasing distress bring more soberness? Did crime increase or decrease? The years of depression and financial distress did not bring, what earnest Christians hoped for, a return to God and a spiritual revival. Apostasy from the faith continued. It became more blatant. Colleges and Seminaries fell in line with the rationalistic denials. The denials of the Deity of Christ, the atoning, sin-bearing work of our Lord, the miracles, the resurrection and the negation of other cardinal doctrines of true Christianity spread in every direction. Just as the New Testament predicts so it came to be. "Their word ate as does a canker" (2 Tim. ii:17). The time had come when Protestant Christendom would not endure sound doctrine (2 Tim. iv:3) The preaching of the true Gospel, the power of God unto salvation, became less and less. Having rejected supernatural Christianity, they turned to what is termed "social salvation." The "Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America" sponsored this "new" Gospel. To accomplish this the leaders turned to some of the radical groups. Some of these are associated with the Third Internationale, which is seeking to destroy all churches and religion. Socialism became for many of these Modernists the future Saviour of the race. The great Methodist denomination seems to be fully committed to this program. Harry F. Ward became the leading spirit of the "Methodist Federation for Social Service." In his book, The New Social Order, he says that the system under which our government is living is doomed to go, and whether or not the new order comes peaceably or through violence depends upon the so-called middle class. This class according to this socialistic Modernist must bow to the inevitable and allow the proletariat of the world to establish the new social order for which Ward and his Methodist brethren are working, or a violent revolution will follow. In the Spring of 1934 the influential New York East Conference voted socialistic, obsessed by this "social salvation" delusion. The modernistic Bishop McConnell went on record with a strong attack on the recovery work of the present administration. The report which was adopted by several hundred preachers demands social ownership of the banking system and natural resources. According to the Rochester Journal (Rochester, N. Y.) of December 1933 the Colgate-Rochester Divinity School (Baptist) heard an address that the future missionaries should receive special instructions. We quote from the address of Professor C. C. Weber: "Communistic and Socialistic principles will be taught by the missionaries of the future in an attempt to overthrow capitalism. Capitalism is un-Christian and unethical and must give way to socialism and communism, and the missionaries of the future must be social revolutionists . . .He will sustain the workers by picketing with strikers and organize protest meetings against police interference. He will point out the contribution of Soviet Russia in her attempt to establish a new social order." In an enlightening article on the Revolution of Religious Views published in the Herald-Tribune of New York City we read the following:
That real, sane and practical American, the late President Calvin Coolidge was right when, a few months before his death, he made the following statement:
Space forbids to mention other attempts to produce the fictious progress of evolution. We record the "International Good Will Congress" and the "Federation of the World Faiths." In the latter Hindus, Confucionists, Mohammedan, Jews and Christians come together. The different world-religions are represented as being so many different ways to God. Brahma, Krishna, Buddha, Confucius, Laotzu, Zoroaster, Moses, Mohammed, Baha'ullah and Christ are all wayshowers. But what about the words of our Lord "I am the way—no man cometh unto the Father but by Me"? The atheists in their annual meeting were right when they issued the following statement:
While the statements as to the Presbyterian church are not altogether true, what these atheists say as to the end of the way for Modernism is certainly the truth. It shows the rapid departure from the revealed Truth of God. True it is there is a loyal, a conservative part in Protestantism. But they are in a minority and from a human view point fight a losing battle. And now the moral conditions. Do the depression years 1929 to 1935 show an improvement? The best answer to this question is found in the overcrowded conditions of the penitentiaries and other prisons. Many millions were expended to build larger penal institutions. Here are the statistics of the second depression year 1930. In seven cities of the United States—New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Los Angeles, Cleveland and St. Louis, there were committed 37,193 crimes of violence. This enormous figure is not the peak. The years which followed show a constant increase. Lawlessness and law defiance swept over the country. During 1931 every day, including the Lord's day, thirty three people were murdered, in all 12,045. Since then there has been no decrease. As stated in a former chapter, according to J. Edgar Hoover crime in 1934 cost the United States fifteen billion dollars. Criminals organized powerful crime corporations, patterned after big business with large capital. The late Dr. Hibben, President of Princeton Uuiversity gave an address in 1932 in which he pertinently referred to this crime menace:
These well chosen words give a true picture of the crime conditions in 1932 and they have not become better in the three years which followed. Much of these crimes were charged to prohibition. No doubt such was the case. Repeal has come. Has crime become less? There is more drunkenness than ever before and the obnoxious saloon is back with all its evils, nor has the repeal stopped the bootlegging industry, for in 1935 the U. S. Government appropriated over a million dollars to fight bootlegging. We do not need to say more. The daily newspapers every morning give us the evidences that the age is not making for righteousness and law-abiding. Add to all this the vicious efforts to overthrow our government, and we face a condition of things which no other generation in the past has faced. Moral degeneration is also going on at a frightful rate. First of all there are the increasing number of divorces. We can begin with the first family of the land in Washington, D.C. and then go to the Hollywood immoral gang, more or less glorifying divorces. The divorcees also include a certain Pacific coast woman, a veritable religious mountebank, who returned recently from a "missionary trip" exhibiting her painted finger and toe nails, and Mrs. Pearl Buck, once a Presbyterian missionary. The increase in divorces has mounted higher and higher each year and there seems to be no end to it. Companionate marriages, trial marriages, have also increased. No record is kept of this legalized prostitution, strongly advocated by certain preachers and educators. The degenerating tendencies of our dying age are revealed by hundreds of girls and women. Less than a generation ago the painted lips, the painted cheeks and the indecent dress were the mark of the street walker, the prostitute. And so was cigarette smoking and drinking. But today this is the fashionable, the up-to-date thing to do. The new saloons now called "Taverns" are daily filled with young people of both sexes sipping their cocktails. One of the most disgusting sights to the writer is a white-haired grandmother holding between her painted lips a cigarette. Year after year the dress of girls and women has become more bold and indecent till in 1935 they parade the streets more than half naked. Colonel Water De Lamater, commander of the 71st Infantry Regiment, New York National Guard, fearing the morale of the guard, has forbidden girls and women who are half naked, attired in what they call "shorts" to enter Camp Smith, Peekskill, N. Y. The moral conditions in educational institutions are equally bad. It begins with the High Schools. A physician in a town of about ten thousand inhabitants told the writer that in one year eleven girls around the age of fifteen, became mothers. In certain other higher institutions, Colleges and Universities, the moral conditions are even worse. But we must refrain from defiling our pages with more of the filth of our dying age and collapsing civilization. We briefly mention the equally terrible increase of self-murders. Since 1931 they have arisen year after year. In 1934 they reached over 25,000. In 1931, according to statistics twenty thousand men, women and young people committed suicide in the United States. Among them millionaires, paupers, educated and uneducated men and women, merchants and professional men. The Life Insurance companies became alarmed on account of the losses they sustained. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. paid in 1921 in claims on account of suicide $880,871. But ten years later these claims amounted to $6,494,254. Since then they have steadily increased. It is now suggested that a national society for the study and prevention of suicide be formed. Will it stop this awful dole of self-murder? And now we hear of an approaching "World Suicide by Birth Control." The decreasing birth rates among the white peoples are alarming, while the colored races increase constantly, so that Oswald Spengler in "The Hour of Decision" predicts a colored world revolution, which will sweep away the white population. We have spoken of these conditions in the United States. They are the same in European countries. Decline, increasing decline, is in evidence everywhere.
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