LAST DITCH OF DEMOCRACY - Majority Rights

confusing because there are two sets of concurrent phenomena, namely,
those connected with fighting this war, and those which sow seeds for
the next one. Your leading men ought to see that. You ought to see it.
It should constitute food for reflection. For YOUR reflection. You are
between two very rough millstones.
#91, FCC Transcript
(May 24, 1943) U.S.[?]
[TITLE UNKNOWN]
The Italians in America will have noted the American inability to
understand what Italy is, the inability to acknowledge the American debt
to Italy. The average American admits that the continent was discovered
by Christopher Columbus. The more cunning are disposed to believe
that Columbus committed a grave error.
But seriously speaking, how many Americans have you met who know
that the constructive ideas to which is due the creation of the North
American Republic, the United States, were an Italian product? Does
one speak at Harvard and in the other great American universities of the
Leopoldien Reforms? The Tuscan history of the 18th century is almost
completely ignored by the Americans. I say, “almost,” advisedly. Have
you met in America a man of politics who does know anything about
16th century Tuscany? Perhaps they have heard somebody speak about
some painter or musician, but of the policy, the reforms—I wager—
never.
The American is disposed or was disposed to acknowledge theoretically
an intellectual debt to France. Perhaps he believes that the American
Revolution was due to the French revolution. This is to say that they are
ignorant of the dates, also having forgotten that the French Revolution
took place a decade after the end of the American revolution. The ideas