James Howard - The Little Red Menace

James Howard -- May 3, 2001 1

The Little Red Menace

The New YorkerThe New Yorker looks at the Red Scare looks at the Red Scare

James HowardJames Howard


Introduction

New YorkerNew Yorker cartoons cartoons Upper classUpper class Politically powerfulPolitically powerful

The Red ScareThe Red Scare 1945-19611945-1961


Cartoon Themes

American lifeAmerican life Soviet lifeSoviet life Military lifeMilitary life Political and government lifePolitical and government life ScienceScience The Red ScareThe Red Scare


Topic Areas

PoliticsPolitics GovernmentGovernment Home lifeHome life ChildrenChildren


October 6, 1956

““I have never stooped, my friends, I have never stooped, my friends, nor will I now stoop, to the nor will I now stoop, to the kind of vicious falsehoods, mud kind of vicious falsehoods, mud slinging, and personal slinging, and personal vilification indulged in by my vilification indulged in by my opponent and his Commie opponent and his Commie pals.”pals.”


June 18, 1949

““We haven’t anything right now, We haven’t anything right now, but you might try again in a but you might try again in a week or so. There’s a rumor week or so. There’s a rumor that the gentleman in 8-A may that the gentleman in 8-A may not pass his loyalty test.”not pass his loyalty test.”


August 30, 1947

““Here’s the record, Chief. He’s a Here’s the record, Chief. He’s a member of the Sons of Democracy, member of the Sons of Democracy, the American Friends of the American Friends of Worldwide Democracy, the Worldwide Democracy, the Guardians of the American Guardians of the American Heritage, the People’s League for Heritage, the People’s League for Good citizenship, the Friends of Good citizenship, the Friends of Freedom, the Conference for the Freedom, the Conference for the Furtherance of Constitutional Furtherance of Constitutional Government, the League for the Government, the League for the Preservation of American Freedom, Preservation of American Freedom, the Sentinels of Democracy, the the Sentinels of Democracy, the Golden Rule Association, the Golden Rule Association, the Society for the Support of the Society for the Support of the Constitution of the United States, Constitution of the United States, the International Congress for the the International Congress for the Furtherance of Democracy, the Furtherance of Democracy, the Conference for the Observance of Conference for the Observance of the Ten Commandments, and the the Ten Commandments, and the Society for the Preservation of Society for the Preservation of North American Wild Life. We North American Wild Life. We think he’s a Commie.”think he’s a Commie.”


July 17, 1950

““It’s true, sir, that the State It’s true, sir, that the State Department let me go, but that Department let me go, but that was solely because of was solely because of incompetence.”incompetence.”


December 13, 1947

““And do you, Rodney, aver that And do you, Rodney, aver that you are not and never have you are not and never have been a member of the been a member of the Communist Party?”Communist Party?”


October 14, 1950

““With this one, we ask our patrons With this one, we ask our patrons to submit to a loyalty test. It to submit to a loyalty test. It could be very dangerous in the could be very dangerous in the hands of a spy.”hands of a spy.”


July 8, 1950


December 13, 1947

““Are you now, or have you ever Are you now, or have you ever been, a naughty boy?”been, a naughty boy?”


Other Points

No parallel in Soviet lifeNo parallel in Soviet life Minimal comparison to childrenMinimal comparison to children Following the Hollywood Ten scandalFollowing the Hollywood Ten scandal


Closing

The Red Scare was pervasiveThe Red Scare was pervasive Children were not immune to its affectsChildren were not immune to its affects The upper class, because of its special The upper class, because of its special

political power, was affected morepolitical power, was affected more

James Howard - The Little Red Menace

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