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THE EDUCATION OF AYN RAND, 1905–1943
Communist program. Though the wartime alliance between the Soviet
Union and the United States would bring a few prominent intellectuals
back into the fold, by 1940 Party affi liation was transforming from a
badge of honor into a slightly embarrassing relic of youth. 53
Yet Rand was still spooked by just how popular Communism and socialism
had been. She was right to understand that the Communist threat had
not vanished entirely, even though intellectual fashions had changed. Soviet
spies remained in Washington, D.C., and some would successfully fi lch
valuable military secrets during World War II. But the Communists were
not on the verge of taking over the American political system. At the height
of their infl uence they had mustered fewer than one million members and
barely 100,000 votes. 54 Still, Rand’s broadside made for exciting reading.
One of the fi rst people Rand shared “Fifth Columnists” with was
Channing Pollock, whom she had met during the Willkie campaign.
Pollock was a newspaper columnist and moderately successful playwright
who had been on the advisory board of the Liberty League and
was well connected to wealthy conservatives. Like Rand he was a committed
individualist and an implacable foe of Roosevelt. But unlike
many of the president’s opponents, Pollock favored aid to Britain and
shared Roosevelt’s sense that America’s involvement in the war might be
necessary. He traveled the country regularly delivering folksy speeches
that denounced Communism, the New Deal, and isolationism in equal
measure. He had even fl oated the idea of a “vigorous organization of the
Great Middle Class” that would “rout the rotten forces of Communism,
Fascism, collectivism and general nuttiness, and put America back on its
feet—a hardworking, united United States.” 55 His idea anticipated the
group Rand herself hoped to start.
Rand contacted Pollock in early 1941. Pollock was a “name,” someone
who could attract both donors and attention to her proposed organization.
Without help from him or somebody similarly prominent, Rand’s
idea would go nowhere. Pollock was interested, but not ready to commit
immediately. He decided to test the concept during an upcoming lecture
tour, asking anyone interested in a political group to contact him. He
netted four thousand names, enough to convince him that Rand’s idea
had wings. Returning to New York in April he gave Rand the go-ahead.
He sent out a brief letter to prospective backers and asked Rand to draw
up a statement of principles to attract interested parties.
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