PROTECTION AT ANY COST

Vague rumblings from the Department of State over the admission of Count Michael Karolyi, and assertions that the Department was "abundantly justified" in preventing him from speaking after he got here have distressed American lovers of free speech. These good people do not realize that the Secretary of State is merely exercising a function consecrated to his use by a benevolent Congress. During the war the Secretary was given the power of controlling aliens absolutely whenever "the public safety" should require it. This power has now been made a permanent attribute of the Department of State.

Free democratic institutions, wrought painfully by the founding fathers, must not be jeopardized through the hasty words of an alien. What matter that any remarks of which Count Karolyi might care to unburden himself would be addressed to audiences already poisoned by open-mindedness? The principle is the thing, and the principle states boldly that America must be protected from foreign radicals. Beneficent councilors of state, acting on information secured through foreign agents, ascertain the exact color of the alien's political views, and if those views are a shade too pink, he shall not pass. Who does not shudder at the mere thought of an intelligent foreigner shaking hard-won American institutions with the rude blasts of his opinions?

The man who protests against this arbitrary protection from the force of new ideas fails to realize that that is the only way to maintain freedom of speech. There is not very much free speech left in this country as it the best way to conserve the available supply is to keep aliens from using it all up.