The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 18, 1927, Page 7

« te Lindbergh As A Militarist Kite WHEN young Charles A, Lindbergh landed in Roosevelt Field, after making the flight from the west coast in two hops the newspapers did not pay very much attention to him and when they did he was referred to as the “Flyin’ Fool” as Mrs. Gibson in the Hall-Mills murder case was the “Pig Woman,” and other celebrities that lend themselves to pub- licity but lack respectability are given sobriquets, on the short side of dignity. Lindbergh then was more or less an “tinknown soldier” a young aviator in the air mail serviee. Pub- lic attention was concentrated on the.squabbles be- tween Lavine who was backing the Chamberlin flight and Bellanea the designer of the plane that was to make the trans-oceanic trip to Paris. Suddenly -the “Flyin’ Fool” took the air and al- most as suddenly landed in Paris. Then the American government got busy. It saw in the feat of this daring youth the opportunity of putting on the greatest. drive for militarism since Woodrow Wilson read his message of war against Germany before the joint session of congress in April 1917. Soon Ambassador Herrick was running around like a chorus girl sticking his mug in front of every camera that tried to get a “shot” at the young air- man. Even the ambassadorial pajamas that were conscripted to adorn Lindbergh’s limbs occupied as much space in the newspapers as they would on a clothes line. Lindbergh, the son of a Minnesota radical suddenly became a world figure to whom kings and president were doing homage. Lindbergh’s feat placed him so far above the average:king or capitalist potentate.in courage and ability that they are not fit to wipe the grime of a day’s ftying from his countenance, but this was not the reason these parasites hailed the young flier. They wanted to bask in the warm rays of his re- flected glory and lecchlike suck into their degenerate political anatomies the popular life blood that a healthy, virile, pioneering aviator had inherited from his rebellious father who fought the capitalists all his life and died with their curses on his lips. The harpies of the decadent European aristocracy and of the equally parasitieal capitalist class moved to extract the maximum advantage from the young man’s accomplishment. The French government, the tool of the French money lenders, speculators and industrialists, saw an opportunity te put in a good word in behalf of the cancellation of the French war debt to the United States, but the American government, while hailing France in eulogistic terms and stressing the friendly relations between the two countries shook its head sadly at the suggestion that “glorious France” should assume the ignoble role of an international dead beat. “Nothing doing on debt cancellation” said Washington in effect, “we like you, but we must have our dough, or at least keep the bill hanging over your head to bedevil your sleeping hours and render you more amiable to concessions that our bankers, industrial capital- ists may demand in their future dealings with you.” The King of All the Belgians—that is what the son of the libertine Leopold calls himself—got a “piece” out of Lindbergh to use the language of sporting circles. (Lest there be any misunderstand- ing, a little explanation of the term in quotes may be necessary. Boxers, wrestlers, runners, swimmers and other performers of this type are surrounded by hordes of professional promoters who live on those who take the punches, the half-nelsons and toe holds, those who erack their wind on the track or their lives in the swirling waters. Each human harpy gets from twenty to one per cent of the earn- ings of the professional athlete. This is what is called getting a “piece out of him.”). The “piece” Albert of Belgium got out of Lind- bergh was publicity and the opportunity to have his pictures taken with the young American. Per- haps the next time the monarch sends his agents to do. a little panhandling in the United States, Morgan will have less difficulty in floating his loan when he reminds the investors that the king was a friend of the hero “Lindy.” Lindbergh went to England and visited the king in Buckingham Palace. I am not sure whether George consented to-be snapped with the American birdman, but the Prince of Wales, who is equally at home in pub, dance hal! or in front of a camera’ was hauled out to do a little bit of drumming for the empire. It also gave Ambassador Houghton a chance to figure in the news even tho by this time Lindbergh did not need any pajamas. It also gave the American ruling, class a chance to take a couple of chuckles at the expense of their English “cousins” and an opportunity to impress upon the old empire the fact that their former colonial empire now has the ships, the planes and the aviators too, in case the old empire should try conclusions with her wes- tern rival. Lindbergh talked pgace and friendship between nations. Ambassador Herrick took advantage of the oevasion to roar against Conmunism and the Soviet Union. All the capitalist jackals out cf their laivs felt that this wes the time, when the »vedple of the world scanned the papers for news of this daring young man, to turn loose their blasts against the only government that is really for peace and against the revolutionary workingclass movement in all countries which ‘would utilize aviation and aviators not to carry bombs for the destiviction of human lives in crowded cities, but to bring the peoples of the earth tiearer to each other and cut distance to a fraction of what it is now. Our young hero returned to the United States on avwarship. He was received in Washington with greater acclaim than was Admiral Dewey on his return from the conquest of the Philippines. Heroes have short lives, as heroes’ The people for those who cash in on their day of glory Winners. And the winners in the “Lindy” « sides the young hero himself-—who by the v be or was a “Flyin’ Fool,” but not so much that he would turn down a wad of dough, newsp: liars to the contrary—are the militarists, the n ers of airplanes and gas bombs and business in gen- eral from the vendor of gasoline to the badge-ped- dler. Many people thot Lindbergh’s filght would be a peaceful influence. He said so. When he spoke in Washington he brought a message of peace froin the French people. The French would prefer that he sueceeded in lopping a billion off the war debt. But even while he was talking peace the militarist; were busy preparing the minds of the masses for the big appropriations that cdéngress will be a to cough up when it reconvenes. And what means could be devised to prepare the public mind for this purpose than to put their words into the new national hero, the unassuming young fellow who had the nation in an orgy of excitement and admiration over his feat. yecter Soldiers, saflors, war planes, generals, colonels and politicians surrounded Lindbergh. There was little talk of the old Lindbergh, the aviator’s father that this gang would have tarred and feathered during the war. The young eagie could fly higher than the parent bird, but his talons would be vsed not to rend the enemies of the masses, but the slaves of the ruling classes. Still there were reports that “Lindy” was not willing to be utilized for war and preparedness propaganda. But when he reached New York, the financial and commercial capital of HOLDING NEW YORK’S VAST CROWDS IN CHECK By T. J. FLAHERTY the American empire, he did not leaye us in tus- pense very long. At a banquet given in his honor at the Commodore Hotel, Lindbergh repeated his speech with a fresh addition. This is where Lindbergh comes out in the role of » militarist decoy. We quote from a report ot his speech that anppeared*in the New York Times of Wedaesday, June 15: “In the meantime, the most important thing for us to do is to develop the trans-continental branch lines, which we already have. A com- mercial air service in America gives a reserve in case of war, which we can develop in no oethereway. Evperienced pilots cannot be trained as quickly as airplanes can be built. We do not invite war; yet one of the surest ways of averting it is to have a trained personnel which ean be mobilized quickly in case of war. A commercial air serviee will give us that per- sonnel in the matter of fighting planes in case we are foreed inte conflict. Our planes in the army air port are the most developéd in the world, although we have very few of them. And [ have.no hesitation in saying, without the least exeggeration, that the pilots of the United States army have to equal in the civilized Of. course we admit that it would be utopian to expect that even a strong-willed person, placed in ] position Lindbergh is in at this period of the yday cf American capitalism could resist the pow- erful influences that are being brought to bear on him by the ruling classes. No well informed person would believe for one moment that Lindbergh would receive the necessary financial backing or govern- ment sanction for his attempt unless the capitalists vere perfectly sure of him. His financial backers risked their money on the flight in the hope that success would make their factories hum with in- creased husiness and the government knew what a valuable salesman for larger military appropriations the first man to fly across the Atlantic would be. If Lindbergh were a pacifist or an\anti-militarist, instead of a willing too! of capitalism his welcome, n he arrived here would consist of a customs going thru his baggage. Wednesday Lindbergh was guest of honor at a luncheon given by the State Chamber of Com- 7 A iation. The “fat boys” cheered him from the of their barrelled bellies. Lindbergh did not disappoint them. } merce and Merch: 3800 dept! This country did not want war he said. What country does? But ti st way to avoid a war is to be prepared for it. Soe said the peaceful ex- kaiser of Germany back in the peaceful spring of 1914. We have not : icient personnel nor enough equipment for our sir To quote him directly: 1 } ) ial a ion should be developed in this country. The ] ul equipment that would result from su development would be of great value in the event of war. “en “New York would be a vulnerable spot in case of war, because it has net a proper airport. I hone in the hear fature this will be corrected.” and-dried preparedness propaganda. ght offend the feelings of the of- ficer class and the manufacturers of battleships, heavy artillery and shells, Lindbergh showed that r take the place of but the army and navy r force.” the arn need a stron And those owners of billions stood on their seats and rocked the ceiling with their cheers. And well they might. Here was a godsend. The “Flyin’ Fool” of aviation, had developed into the “Flyin’ Tool” of American militarism. _ This snapshot shows the kind of work New York police have had to perform *@ prpevent jostling crowds from overwhelming Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh, This photo was made ar hour before he was due at this spot, an 3 oe