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Editorial
July 22, 1933
The Bismarck Tribune
Bismarck, Mandan, Burleigh County, Morton County, North Dakota
What is this article about?
The editorial ridicules a federal investigation into alleged communist activities at the University of Wisconsin, sparked by a student's prank of hanging a red flag on May Day, portraying the Red Scare response as absurd and unnecessary.
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Full Text
A Ridiculous Red Scare
A student at the University of Wisconsin told a legislative investigating committee the other day that he had been hired by the secret service to supply federal investigators with information about the activities of Communists at the university; and one is forced to wonder just what humorless sub-official it was who decided that such a course was necessary.
No one with any common sense thinks that anything important in the way of red activities is taking place at any state university. It was another Wisconsin student who explained how the stories about Communism at the university got to Uncle Sam's ears.
On May Day, this lad explained, one undergraduate hung a red flag out of his window. This undergraduate was a thorough-going young capitalist, the son of the president of a big Illinois manufacturing concern, and he hung out his red bunting as a prank, pure and simple. But someone took the flag seriously, some federal official got worried—and the sleuths got busy.
And the whole business looks more than a little ridiculous.
A student at the University of Wisconsin told a legislative investigating committee the other day that he had been hired by the secret service to supply federal investigators with information about the activities of Communists at the university; and one is forced to wonder just what humorless sub-official it was who decided that such a course was necessary.
No one with any common sense thinks that anything important in the way of red activities is taking place at any state university. It was another Wisconsin student who explained how the stories about Communism at the university got to Uncle Sam's ears.
On May Day, this lad explained, one undergraduate hung a red flag out of his window. This undergraduate was a thorough-going young capitalist, the son of the president of a big Illinois manufacturing concern, and he hung out his red bunting as a prank, pure and simple. But someone took the flag seriously, some federal official got worried—and the sleuths got busy.
And the whole business looks more than a little ridiculous.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
What keywords are associated?
Red Scare
University Of Wisconsin
Communism
Federal Investigators
May Day Prank
What entities or persons were involved?
University Of Wisconsin
Legislative Investigating Committee
Secret Service
Federal Investigators
Communists
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Ridicule Of Anti Communist Investigations At Universities
Stance / Tone
Mocking The Ridiculousness Of Federal Overreach
Key Figures
University Of Wisconsin
Legislative Investigating Committee
Secret Service
Federal Investigators
Communists
Key Arguments
No Important Communist Activities Occur At State Universities
A Student's May Day Red Flag Prank Was Mistaken For Serious Activity
Federal Officials Overreacted To The Prank
The Investigation Appears Ridiculous