Old Gimlet Eye rides again - The Plot To Seize The White House

As I write this, I have on my desk a copy of Jules Archer's classic account of the 1930's fascist conspiracy, allegedly backed by prominent corporate leaders, to overthrow FDR and prevent the enactment of his New Deal.

Out of print since shortly after the hardback edition was published in 1973, this amazing book is available again for a reasonable price. The hardback edition is quite scarce and sells for hundreds of dollars. Rumor has it that the DuPont family, implicated in the plot, bought and destroyed many copies.

I read this book years ago, and found it to be a quick, engrossing read. Not only does it succinctly outline the events of the day, providing concrete evidence that not all Americans support our form of government, but it provides a biography of an American original - the hero of this true story, Smedley Darlington Butler.

Known as "Old Gimlet Eye" to his troops, the two time Medal of Honor awardee was the pride of the Marine Corps, and a combat tested leader who commanded from the front lines. He served from 1898 to 1931, in Cuba during the war with Spain, China during Boxer Rebellion, Honduras, Nicaragua, Veracruz, Haiti, France in WWI, and back to China in the late 1920's. He was even loaned to the city of Philadelphia in 1924, at the behest of President Calvin Coolidge, serving as Director of Public Safety to fight rampant corruption and racketeering.

After retiring at the rank of Major General, he was a popular public speaker and veteran's advocate, foiled the aforementioned plot, and wrote a forgotten polemic on war profiteering, the prescient War is a Racket.

I don't know if, after all these years, a new printing will propel this piece of history to wider circulation or not, but I feel it is a story we as Americans dare not forget. Rather, we should spread far and wide the story of Old Gimlet Eye and the debt of gratitude we owe his memory.

I also posted this at E.ThePeople for increased Googlage.