THE SPIDER AND THE FLY

The stern vigilance of Secretary Kellog makes erashing the gate of America practically an impossibility. The Countess Karolyi found that due to her husband's socialistic turn of mind, she could get no nearer New York than Ellis Island. Saklatvaia, the unpronounceable Communist member of the British Parliament, was likewise debarred. And another Countess--in her own eyes more sinned against than sinning--discovered that on occasion moral turpitude could be made an admirable slogan for immigration authorities. The latest guest unwelcome to official United States is Mme. Alexandra Kollantay, whose morals may be as pure as snow but whose politics are not a accordance with those of the Republican administration. In spite of the fact that she does not propose to linger here being on her way to take up her duties as Soviet Minister to Mexico--Secretary Kellog has denied her admittance in accordance with his now well-known prerogative.

Such rigorous actions, although no doubt performed in the best sincerity, are puerile; a nation is not to be corrupted as an innocent child; visitors may have dangerous ideas but until those ideas are expressed within the national boundaries they should be allowed to proceed in peace. Dismissal of an unruly guest is a far more civilized method of maintaining order than barring the door to all suspicious and unconventional applicants. The phrase "a free country" appears to have been lost in the jumble of distorted democracy. To allow radicals to enter the United States is not necessarily a proclamation of national radicalism; but not to allow them, especially when their menace is at most only potential, is to confess narrowness and bigotry.