Chapter Seventeen Continued: Is This Fascist?

A CULTURE OF DEFIANCE: History of the Reform-Conservative Party of Canada

Throughout the campaign, Aberhart was becoming increasingly paranoid, confrontational and authoritarian.

The mainstream newspapers, especially the Calgary Herald, continued to demand that he explain the economic principles of Social Credit, something he had yet to do, and also questioned his view of democratic principles.

Instead of allowing the people to select their candidates, Aberhart sent out a call for "100 good men". He also told the local offices to bring forward the names of several possible candidates, and then he would personally select from the group.

Understandably this brought about the accusation of fascism and many began to refer to Aberhart as a dictator. The references to Mussolini must have really got under his skin, because at one point he thought he might be the Antichrist. A Mr. Humble wrote in the Herald:

First, let me say, Major Douglas is a democrat, and Mr. Aberhart is a dictator. Two weeks ago I charged that the Aberhart movement savored of Fascism. It is now a matter of record that Mr. Aberhart has dictated the terms on which he would undertake the leadership of the new political party and no dictator of the modern world has been more exacting in his demands. Those of you who have been reading the daily press, but did not understand the nature of this organization, were no doubt shocked when you read that the mailed fist of dictatorship was to control the affairs of the party even to the point of naming the candidates for the various con­stituencies in the Province of Alberta. No doubt the sponsor of this move­ment is well read-up on Mussolini and his methods.

The leader of this new so-called social credit party of Alberta has been quite outspoken regarding the old political parties and their wire-pulling tactics, but no political party leader in Canada has attempted to pull the strings to the extent that every member of the party sitting in the parlia­ment would be the personal choice of the leader and a mere rubber stamp man.... Surely no one is going to be fooled by the crude attempt to cover up this procedure by what is to be called "an advisory council" of three members, because even the advisors are to be chosen by the dictator himself. There is not an atom of democracy left in the whole proceedings and Canada has now one who is making a definite bid for dictatorial powers. (1)

And as he promised $25.00 dividends to all Albertans he was very clear about who would qualify:

Dividends would be given for loyalty to the State; if a person refused to work, or refused to join the Social Credit movement, he would not receive dividends. If he abused his privileges under the new economic system, the Credit House inspector could withdraw his dividends and put him on an "Indian List." The latter expression was not defined, but Aberhart may have had in mind the reservations or concentration camps that Bellamy* had described for non-sympathizers. (2)

By now he had almost complete control of the press. From his Social Credit Chronicles to his radio broadcasts, which were uncensored, since he had loaned the radio station a great deal of money (with an 8% interest charge I might add). And if any other newspaper was too hard on him he'd simply tell his listeners from his radio pulpit to boycott them and they would.

And he was not above the use of thuggery:

Feelings ran very high. Some of Aberhart's supporters believed that opposition groups were trying to keep them in poverty. Opposi­tion candidates claimed that when they held their political rallies, their meetings were sometimes broken up by Social Crediters - who banged fenceposts on the walls of the buildings, or stopped their cars outside the halls and blew their car horns until the speakers were forced to quit. They also claimed that Social Crediters slashed their car tires and put sand and sugar in their gas tanks.'

Aberhart did little to discourage the actions of his supporters. When O.L. Mcpherson, the minister of Public Works who had been involved in the spec­tacular divorce suit, attempted to question Aberhart at a political rally, Aberhart appealed to his supporters and said, "Are you going to let this man cross-examine me?" The crowd responded by shouting down Mcpherson's questions. (2)

But it all worked, because on August 22, 1935; the Social Credit Party won 56 of 63 seats.

Chapter Eighteen: It Began at That Hour

Footnotes:

* Much of Aberhart's 'Yellow Pamphlet' describing the principles of Social Credit, came from the popular book: Looking Backward: 2000-1887, a Utopian novel by Edward Bellamy. It influenced a large number of intellectuals, and appears by title in many of the major Marxist writings of the day. It is one of the few books ever published that created almost immediately on its appearance a political mass movement. The novel also inspired several Utopian communities.

Sources:

1. Bible Bill: A Biography of William Aberhart, By: David R. Elliot and Iris Miller, Edmonton: Reidmore Books, 1987, Pg. 179-180

2. Elliot/Miller, 1987, Pg. 190-191

Chapter Fourteen Continued: Aberhart and Manning Find Their Antichrist

A CULTURE OF DEFIANCE: History of the Reform-Conservative Party of Canada

William Aberhart and his disciple, Ernest Manning; would continue to be obsessed with the Antichrist and the end times; which gained momentum in depression era Alberta.

In 1931, the budding 'playwright, Manning, helped to write a play, based on the 1915 novel by Sydney Watson: The Mark of the Beast*.

The play was an adaptation of Sydney Watson's Mark of the Beast. Entitled The Branding Irons of the Antichrist, it depicted the terrors and persecutions experienced by a brother and sister during the Tribulation; they had not listened to the Gospel message before the Rapture. Following their mother's disappearance in the Rapture, they decided to believe in Christ at any cost. After refusing to accept the brand of the Antichrist they were executed. The moral of the play was that the audience should accept Christ then and there, and avoid the terrors of the Tribulation by being taken up in the Rapture, which Aberhart called "the overhead route". (1)

The cast was drawn from members of the Calgary Prophetic Bible Institute's youth group, and was performed throughout Alberta, becoming the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' for the depression era crowd.

One young lady who was a member of the church discovered that the terror stayed with her for some time. Afterward, when visiting a Christian friend and finding no one home, although the doors were open, she feared that the Rapture had occurred and she had been left behind to face the Antichrist." (1)

Of course William Aberhart thought he might know who the Antichrist was, and no not Adolf Hitler, but another 'dictator'. There were clues:

Premillennialism usually holds too that the Roman empire is to be revived, and that the Antichrist is to be the king or dictator of this realm ... He is not to be revealed as such until after the Rapture of the Church, although he may be the ruler in his kingdom before that time. He is to have more power than has ever before been exercised by any king or dictator. (2)

So given that the Antichrist was to revive the ancient Roman Empire and be a powerful dictator, who better to fit the bill than Benito Mussolini?

His [Aberhart's] theology had become very Manichean; everywhere he saw a cosmic battle between two opposing forces, God and Satan.

The Depression reinforced this belief in Aberhart's mind. When climatic disturbances and plagues of pestilence attacked Alberta's crops, Aberhart claimed that they were not punishments from God, but rather attacks from the Devil . Aberhart became fascinated with Mussolini and he preached a number of sermons on Mussolini** and prophecy. (2)

Footnotes:

*Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, authors of the popular Left behind Series, that is now the blueprint for the Religious Right and Christians United For Israel; also claim to have been influenced by Sydney Watson's apocalyptic novels.

**Leo Strauss, for different reasons; also became fascinated with Mussolini. When he was with the Zionist Youth Blau-Weiss, it's leader Walter Moses, emulated the Italian dictator. Later Strauss would support not only fascism, but the corporatism of Benito.

Sources:

1. Bible Bill: A Biography of William Aberhart, By: David R. Elliot and Iris Miller, Edmonton: Reidmore Books, 1987, Pg. 104

2. THE MILLENNIUM, By: Loraine Boettner, 1957

3. Elliot and Iris Miller, 1987, Pg. 103

Book Two Introduction: From Movement to Political Party

A CULTURE OF DEFIANCE: History of the Reform-Conservative Party of Canada

Despite his best efforts, William Aberhart would never really succeed in adopting Social Credit principles. And even though his party was called Social Credit, their governing was based on theology, and a form of Social Conservatism emerged, that became increasingly cult-like.

Individuals were discouraged from thinking for themselves. They didn't need to understand what he was doing, they were just to simply follow him and he would lead them to glory. And if there were any doubters, they would be set to right in one of his radio broadcasts.

He was soon directing every aspect of their lives from the pulpit, and it often had devastating results. If he was fanatical before, he became worse, especially if he felt his power was being threatened.

His protege, Ernest Manning; would use similar techniques as he broadcast his own Bible Hour, hammering out his government's position. And like Aberhart before him and all those after; he allowed no dissent. While many credit him with purging the party of it's anti-Semites, it was only because they were putting pressure on him to start adopting the monetary reforms of Clifford Douglas.

So the purge was not a magnanimous gesture, but was simply for political expediency.

And the basic principles of this movement have not changed. There has always been a radical religious element that directs most of their policy making, coupled with an extreme prejudice against anyone who doesn't believe as they do.

They demonize their enemies and use fear mongering, intimidation and emotional blackmail to get what they want. And despite the liberal use of the words 'freedom' and 'democracy', they oppose those notions with a vengeance.Theirs is a one party state:

"We don't need an opposition," Ernest Manning has said. "They're just a hindrance to us. You don't hire a man to do a job and then hire another man to hinder him." (1)

So Now What?

In the first part of this book, I wanted to tell the stories of contemporaries William Aberhart, Adolf Hitler and Leo Strauss, since all play a very huge role in the Social Conservative (Reform) movement, that brought Stephen Harper and his "reinvented" Conservative Party to power.

We have to remember that as this story has unfolded so far, few imagined that anything as horrific as The Holocaust could have taken place.

But both Hitler's German Worker's Party and Aberhart's Social Credit Party, were grounded in anti-Semitism and the notion of an international Jewish conspiracy.

Both blamed the Jewish people for many of their ills, and both came to power and held onto power, based on fascist style governing.

You can see from the cartoon of Stewart Cameron's, which was published in the 1930's; that it was not unusual to compare William Aberhart to both Mussolini and Hitler, and many newspaper columns reflected the same observation.

At the peak of the depression, everyone was looking for answers. Radical governments were on the rise, all promising to create stability out of chaos, and lead their people from the wreckage.

What has happened in modern times, is that we only judge Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Regime, from their darkest days. And believe me, they don't get much darker. On the other hand, history has tended to forgive William Aberhart, and yet there was a time, when he also plunged Alberta into darkness.

Nothing to the extent of the Holocaust, but damaging none the less.

So that is where my story will continue, as fascism becomes the norm. And remember, Leo Strauss was nurtured on this authoritarian style, and once regretted that he was not allowed to join the Nazi party because he was Jewish.

Book Two Introduction Continued: Konrad and Adolf

Sources:

1. Texas of the North, Time Magazine, September 24, 1951

Chapter Fifteen Continued: Ernest and William

A CULTURE OF DEFIANCE: History of the Reform-Conservative Party of Canada

The image to the left is of a young Ernest Manning, taken when he arrived in Calgary from Rosetown Saskatchewan; to study at the Calgary Prophetic Bible Institute, under the direction of William Aberhart.

What makes this movement and it's various experiments in creating political parties unique, is that it became hereditary in many ways; which is another reason why their ideology has not changed much in seventy five years.

Ernest was a constant companion of William Aberhart's, both at the Prophetic Institute and later in the Social Credit Party. He lived with the Aberharts, had his meals with them, went to Church with them and even acted as their chauffeur.

By 1930 he was sharing some of the airtime on the radio program, giving sermons and teaching the prophesy at the Institute and worked with Aberhart to sell Social Credit.

By all accounts, he was very much like William's son and when Aberhart died, Ernest Manning just took over.

Then when Ernest's son Preston created the Reform Party, Stephen Harper assumed the role of Preston's lieutenant. And even for the short time that Stockwell Day was head of the Alliance Party; Day's father had been a long time member of the Social Credit Party, once running as a candidate against Tommy Douglas, the man who gave us Medicare*.

The federal SoCreds went a little different way, but they were all connected.


Swing Girls and Rolled Up Rugs

In 1929, a young typist, then working at the General Motors Acceptance Corporation, Eva Reid; was looking for a place to live. Her sister had died the year before and she had started to turn to religion, studying part-time at the Calgary Prophetic Bible Institute.

It just so happened that Aberhart had a room for rent, so the young girl packed up her things and moved into the Aberhart home.

She also started attending the newly formed Bible Institute Baptist Church, becoming friends with the young organist there, named Muriel.

Then just a teenager, Muriel had been a favourite student of Aberhart's at Crescent Heights, and she would often visit the family.

One evening when Eva and Muriel were alone at the Aberhart house, Eva decided to bend the house rules a little. She rolled up the rug, turned on the music and taught the teenage girl how to dance. They both laughed and enjoyed themselves immensely.

But a few days later, overwhelmed with guilt, she confessed her deeds to William Aberhart. He said that he forgave her moment of weakness, but demanded that as a sinner she must "condemn" herself. What this meant I can only imagine, but not long after the incident, Eva Reid moved out of the Aberhart home. (1)

She later became a popular reporter and even helped to edit the future Social Credit Chronicle.

Oh and the other sinner?

Muriel Aileen Preston would marry Ernest Charles Manning on April 14, 1936, and then Premier William Aberhart, gave the bride away.

Serious Premiers and a Beauteous Blonde Help to Chart Aberhart's Course

Footnotes:

*Those in the Reform movement never believed in free health care (and they still don't). Ernest Manning called Tommy Douglas a socialist and saw his ideas as akin to communism: Throughout his political career, Ernest Manning was motivated by religion, and more specifically, by anti-Socialism: 'Socialism, to Manning, is a system which largely prevents the individual from attaining the state of grace and hence salvation ... Giving to the individual societal benefits such as free medical care ... breeds idleness... causing a break down in his relationship with God'."Manning argued that 'where the state imposed a monopoly on a service ... the sinful philosophy of state collectivism scored a victory'. (2)

Sources:

1. Eva Reid: girl reporter, By: Jennifer Hamblin, Alberta History, September 22, 2004

2. Preston Manning and the Reform Party. Author: Murray Dobbin Goodread Biographies/Formac Publishing 1992 ISBN: 0-88780-161-7, pg. 9