Az Ember, 1939 (14. évfolyam, 17. szám)
1939-04-29 / 17. szám
Ápriils 29, 1939. “AZ EMBER” VILÁGKIÁLLÍTÁSI SZÁMA ll-ik oldal. WILL THE UNITED STATES GO FASCIST? By EMIL LENGYEL On the way to America some years ago, I met a lady from Oregon, now a valued friend. Talking of many things, we also spoke of various national traits. ‘We have many Bulgarian farmers in our State,” she said. “It’s a pity we have not learned enough from them.” It came to me in a flash that this was one of the reasons why America became a great country. Here all who contribute to the community welfare are welcome, no matter how small their country of origin. If is for this reason that the World Fair will be important for the j United States. Eager millions from all over America will visit the exhibits of all nations, registering new ideas, receiving new impressions. Wanting to learn from a Bulgarian on the part of Americans is a moving humility. Americans would have LENGYEL EMIL every reason to be proud of themselves. The United States is the great success of the century. “Americanism” is bound to be the key-note of the world of tomorrow. Yet,the average American is not inflated with his country's importance. He does not measure the merit of the alienborn according to his country’s size. Contrast the spirit of the Old World with the spirit of the new. The other day I received a letter from a young Hungarian lady in Budapest, inquiring about the chances of theatrical and musical reporting of Central European events. The few samples of her work she enclosed struck me with their restrained, yet plastic qualities. "Do I have any chance in America,” she asked in the accompanying letter “altough I am young and a woman?” This question sums up the tragedy of a large part of Europe, where it is inexcusable to be a young woman when trying to make a career. The very idea of discriminating because of age and sex is repugnant to the American. It is partly because of such basic differences that I cannot see fascism succeeding in America. The United States respects merit and not the color of the hair and the qualitiy of ‘blood.” America’s very spirit would be repudiated by adopting fascist standards of value. America would be disloyal to her best traditions by rejecting the contributions of the sons of small countries. “It began the same way in Germany,” some of my emigre friends commented on the New York Nazis' massmeeting in Madison Square Garden a few weeks ago. They are panicky at the thought that their supposedly safe haven might be exposed to Nazi terror. Nobody can understand them better than I. But they should realize, at the same time, that differences between the United States and post-war Germany are basic. Fascism means the transfer of popular power to a self-appointed Leader. The last few years have demonstrated its immense appeal to the masses. This can be best seen by inquiring into its origin. Do not look for a definition of fascism in the encyclopaedias of yesterday. Twenty years ago not even its name was known, except to a few followers of Mussolini. Do not attempt to find the definition of fascism even today. And this movement, which is so hazy that it cannot be described, has taken Europe by storm. With the exception of the western democracies and Russia, all Europe has gone fascist, and each year sees its ranks swell. Does it mean this is an inescapable political vogue? Experience has shown that great popular movements ignore oceans. The “Mayflower” would not have left England if its occupants had not been convinced about man’s right to own his soul. The United States ; would not have joined the World War Allies if the issue | of autocracy vs. democracy had not been raised. Will the United States go Fascist? A few moments’ reflection provides the answer. First, the United States is not in a state of despair, such as the fascist countries passed through. Germany had some six million unemployed — about 20 per cent of her working population — when Hitler came to power. It is true that the crisis was aggravated by the Nazis, who kept the country in turmoil, so as to be able later to save it. It is true, too, that unemployment in the United States is widespread, but it has never been quite as bad as in Germany. The resources of this country are an ally of democracy. Then, Americans are not good haters, whereas the Nazis are. People in the United States cannot detest a man because he was born into a different creed. They have seen their country grow great because of the contributions of scores of nations. Not even an American anti-Semite can be made to want to hang Einstein because he is a Jew and outlaw Thomas Mann because his wife is non-Aryan. I have met self-avowed anti-Semites in this country who had Jewish house-guests and business-partners. It is bad that anti-Semitism should exist in a sensible country (if for no other reason because it is an unwarranted generalization, which can never be right), but it is different from its Nazi variety. The average American is sociable and friendly, interested in his fellow man. Hence movements built on hatred have invariably failed in this country. The few exceptions do not invalidate the law. Furthermore, the American is used to democracy which is not merely a political system but also a mode of life. He is repelled by the arrogant assumption of superhuman authority. His country has grown great because of the wide scope given to individual initiative. Recent immigrants from overseas sometimes mistake bad manners for love of liberty. They assert themselves by littering the streets and disturbing their neighbors' sleep with loud entertainment. Fascistic countries, on the other hand, never had real freedom for long. Germany’s post-war experiment was particularly short-lived. Italy's pre-war parliamentrism was chaotic..Democracy is not synonymous with political plunder. Hungary's boast of eight centuries of parliament has reference only to the privileged nobles. The United States was born in revolt against autocracy. Nor must we forget that Americans have a sense of humor, which fascistic countries seem to lack. Imagine an American Fuehrer banging his chest, proclaiming his superhuman powers to save his country from all evils. “Oh yeah,” would be the answer of the average American. If the Germans had a better sense of humor, they would not have invested a madman with the qualities of a super- God. “Yes,” my friends insist, ‘but you seem to forget that when all remedies fail, the monopolist will try to save his money-bag by turning to the fascist.” No one can deny that this was true in Italy and Germany. Fascist is the ideal way to fool the people. It deflects attention from real reforms by prarading as a popular movement. But what do recent developments show? Are Germany and Italy still capitalistic? Any impartial observer must confess that they are lost to private initiative. One of the most lavish contributors to Nazi coffers, Fritz Thyssen, the steel magnate, is a voluntary exile in South America. Does any one know what has happened to Hitler’s angel, Herr Hugenberg? The Fuehrer has kicked them out the way, and II Duce has treated his angels likewise. They have done so because, even though they j like crooked monopolists, they cannot tolerate competitors. A totalitarian regime means what it say: all power to the dictator! Would-be angels of Americans fascistic dictators cannot be blind to these facts. Overseas visitors to the World’s Fair will take home the impression of the greatest country in the world of today being firmly committed to democracy because of , her traditions and interest. It is a comforting thought to know that the sanest country of this globe has seen no j reason to revise the basic principles of its traditional I policy. Szurony és golyó VJ SZÉL si'wit a: ág hegyén s bakancsos, rukkos énekén rámtrombitál a Végzet. Mondom magamban komoran, a sejtelmektől borosán: Még ma meghal az Élet. Vérzik a bus rigó begye, szivén szúrta az ág hegye, mert szurony már az ág is. S golyó a szem, a szív, a szó, az ezredekben rohanó könnyes esillagvilág is. Minden, minden szurony, golyó s átkozhozó, gonosz folyó az életünk, a vérünk. Az “ember” eltűnt ladikján, mint az utolsó mohikán s még nem is volt testvérünk. Pedig voltak még tegnapok, hogy úgy szedtük a csillagot: sorsokat író jelnek s daloltunk hozzá elegen istenesen és melegen, ahogy a szivek vernek. De múlt a szív, mint az idő és vélük mult el a Jövő, hogy sose legyen máskép. .4 szurony, golyó jól talált: meghalt a testvér, jóbarát, ha — van ugyan halál még. TARNóCY ÁRPÁD. Amerika legnagyobb, leggyorsabb hajóin S. s. MANHATTAN s. s. WASHINGTON Indulás minden héten felváltva a s. s. PRESIDENT HARDING s. s. PRES. ROOSEVELT hajókkal. Kitűnő ételek f°ndos kiszolgálás, tágas fedélzetek és nagy választék kényelmes kabinokban mérsékelt árakon. Részletekért forduljon hajójegy ügynökéhez i L). S. Lines I §L 1 Broadway, New York, M JÉl N. Y. Ml Dl g by w-xm HUNGÁRIÁM RESTAURANT ^ 1504 York Ave., N.Y.C. (79 és SO. utcák között)RE 4-S990 A LEG1ZLETESEBB MAGYAR ÉTELEK, VALAMINT BEL- ÉS KÜLFÖLDI ITALOK. (A konyhát Mrs. Tóth vezeti Minden este a cigányok VAJDÁJA hangversenyez. A magyarság szives pártfogását kéri TÓTH ALBERT tulajdonos
