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Calling the University a seat of higher learning, John T. Flynn, famed economist and former editor of the "New Republic," in an interview yesterday afternoon held it inexcusable that students should permit themselves to be influenced and swayed by outside emotions.
"It would pay students to make their own investigations on economic problems," the economist remarked. "They should be able to form their own opinions by reading intelligent and competent authors. They should avoid books by men who are Fascists made over from Communists and have come to spread their poisonous material here, and columnists like Dorothy Thompson and Walter Winchell should never be read with serious thought."
Speaking later in Emerson Hall, isolationist Flynn told his audience that the United States was impregnable from both the military and economic advances of Hitler.
"I know very little about military affairs," stated the former editor, "but I have consulted a great number of military experts, and not one of them expressed the conviction that the United States could be invaded."
Economically, Flynn assured his audience that even under the worst possible circumstances, a Hitler victory over England, the United States would carry on trade with Germany without strife. There are no objections to the Nazis' trading with South America, he continued, since this country would also control a large share of South American commerce.
"Post-war Germany has been widely studied and discussed by German technologists and business men," said Flynn. "Hitler probably intends to reign over the old German and Austrian empires, and the channel coasts of Denmark, Holland and Belgium. He plans to strip England of her important colonies, and let her survive as best she can with minor dependents. England, herself, would be a liability, and Hitler would be foolish to include her in his territory."
Reading a quotation from Walter Lippman, Flynn asserted that there will be no new order in Europe. It is impossible to set up a peaceful reign, he continued, because Hitler must maintain an army to control the people, and the people must be driven to feed the army.
The German economic system, according to Flynn, is too intricate to operate efficiently. It is composed of quotas, visas, checks, and red tape he said, and tends to discourage private investments. In time the government will be forced to take over the complete organization and control of production.
When asked whether he expected his isolationist efforts would be successful, Flynn produced telegrams from Senators George, McNavy, and Lodge, pledging their support against convoying ships to England.
"Our support will be much greater in Congress this time than on the lease-lend bill," he said.
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