Spencer Heath Archive

Item 1488

Letter to Max F. Eastman, Chilmark, Massachusetts

August 20, 1953 (mailed September 29)

Dear Mr. Eastman:

     Hooray for your Freeman article on “Left”, “Right”, and “Liberal.” How about a Dynamic Conservatism — a conser­vatism too informed and intelligent to continue merely as a brake to keep us from running too fast down into des­potism, but with an engine (right knowledge) to take us up grade towards social ideals?

     Perhaps it will interest you to see the enclosed Definitive Exposé of each one of the five basic premises of the Land Communist argument as they were set out approv­ingly and unqualifiedly endorsed in the Freeman for July 27th, 1953.

    Communism is a real and present menace in our midst. It rests on the false that we allow to masquerade as true. It is not necessary, not even intelligent, to accept its basic premises. To do so is tantamount to swallowing the whole “line.” To be indifferent is to play into their hands.

     What do you think?

Sincerely,

sh-m enc. 2