“WE DON’T WANT ANOTHER WAR,” SAY U.S. WALLACE FANS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 76, 2 August 1948, Page 7

“WE DON’T WANT ANOTHER WAR,” SAY U.S. WALLACE FANS

Mr Henry Wallace’s meetings in the United States in support of his Third Party Presidential campaign were half revival meetings, half carnivals, says a special correspondent of the Sydney Melbourne Herald. They culminated recently in a mass rally at Madison Square Garden. Nineteen thousand howling persons, most of them young, cheered and chanted, “One, two, three, four, we don’t want another war.” Hot-dog vendors hustled up and down the aisles. All lights were switched off and the huge area was darkened. A deep voice rumbled through the loud speakers: “You have no choice, America! You have no choice! This is the year of decision! You must build a victorious party—the party of Henry Wallace!” People became tense in the blackness. The voice repeated its message. “Ain’t it impressive?” said someone. % The lights flashed on. Thunderous applause, whistles and cheers .greeted the speakers as they filed on to the platform. Lights again were dimmed except for the spotlights playing on the orators. It recalled the showmanship of the Nazi movement. The crowds, however, were more informal. They munched’’ peanuts, cheered the sentiments they had been taught to parrot and booed the names of those whom they had been told to regard as ogres. Boys put their arms around their girl friends. But, as the evening proceeded, mass hysteria began to mount. Young and old jumped to their feet, leaped up and down and slapped each other on the back, more and more the meeting came to resemble a revivalist gathering, with something of the excitement of a boxing championship. The climax came when Wallace appeared on the platform, introduced as “the greatest of all living Americans.” Nineteen thousand people sprang to their feet, leaped up and down, gesticulating madly. It was minutes before Wallace could make himself heard. Then came the pay-off. The "Dollars for Wallace” appeal. Everyone of the 19,000 waved dollar bills. Hundreds gave cheques, 20 contributed cheques of more than 1000 dollars each. The evening was over; but not for many of the audience, who walked, over to the Roxy Theatre, where they joined the Communists in demonstrating against “The Iron Curtain,” a film based on Soviet espionage in Canada. They saw no inconsistency in demanding the suppression of films unfavourable to Russia, while demanding the utmost freedom for themselves: