[Ads-l] Antedating of "Free World" (Non-Communist World)

[Peter Reitan]

The "International Free World Association" was organized in Washington 
DC in June 1941.  It was anti-fascist and pro-democracy.  Its stated 
purposes included preparing for "a new world order" based on democratic 
principles after the war.  I'm no up on the status of the origin of "new 
world order," but it would be interesting if it was used by the same 
people who established the notion of the "free world".

"Organization of the International Free World Association was announced 
Thursday [(July 3)], simultaneously with a broadcast to three continents 
calling for a British victory and the destruction of Hitler and 
Hitlerism."
Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky), July 4, 1941, page 3. 
Newspapers.com

"Representatives of 16 nations, including many of those over-run by 
Hitler, attending the Conference for Democratic Victory in Washington in 
June which created the Free World Association. . . .  Its purpose is to 
fight 'for the victory of the Allies and for the organization of a new 
world order based on democratic principles, international law and order, 
and collective security."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 2, 1941, page 4. Newspapers.com


------ Original Message ------
From: "ADSGarson O'Toole" <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
To: ADS-L at listserv.uga.edu
Sent: 11/17/2019 5:19:23 PM
Subject: Re: Antedating of "Free World" (Non-Communist World)

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>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
>Subject:      Re: Antedating of "Free World" (Non-Communist World)
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>
>Fred Shapiro wrote:
>>  Free World (OED 1947)
>>
>>  1946 _Berkshire Eagle_ (Pittsfield, Mass.) 9 Sept. 10/5 (Newspapers.com)
>>  We can reasonably look forward to a time when Germans will nakedly
>>  present, for the whole world to see, the clearest contrast between the fr=
>uits
>>  of the free world of the West and the slave world of the East.
>>
>>  NOTE:  I have previously pointed out that there was an earlier sense of
>>  "free world" meaning "the world not dominated by the Axis in World War II=
>."
>>  This appeared as early as Time Magazine, Mar. 10, 1941.
>
>In December 1942 "free world" was used by a newspaper columnist in an
>interesting way that differed from the two senses listed by Fred.
>
>"Free world" meant democratic, non-Fascist, and non-Communist
>according to the columnist. Specifically, Spain, Germany, Italy, and
>Russia were not part of the "free world" in 1942.
>
>Date: December 24, 1942
>Newspaper: Pawnee County Journal
>Newspaper Location: Pawnee, Oklahoma
>Article: Above the Hullabaloo: No Room for Democracy!
>Author: Lytle Hull
>Quote Page 2, Column 1 and 2
>Database: Newspapers.com
>
>[Begin excerpt]
>In his speech of December 8 Generalissimo Franco stated that the
>post-war world must be either a Communist world or a Fascist world.
>The Liberal theory=E2=80=94 and by Liberal he meant democratic, not
>socialistic=E2=80=94has dry rotted and is now making its last stand, accord=
>ing
>to the Spanish dictator.
>
>The principal weakness of Senor Franco's argument lies in the fact
>that, having never lived in what we call a "free world" he has no
>knowledge of what real freedom means.
>[End excerpt]
>
>The columnist described the regions that were not part of the "free world".
>
>[Begin another excerpt]
>Their politicians grab control and keep it; and if members of their
>majorities dare to object publicly, they are "put away" Their recourse
>is not the ballot box=E2=80=94it is only bloody revolution.
>
>It is these "wonderful" systems which now maintain in Spain, Germany,
>Italy, and Russia, and the only reason on earth why anyone who has
>lived in our usually happy country advocates Socialism (Fascism) or
>Communism is because he expects to be "on top" if and when his party
>should get control of our government.
>[End another excerpt]
>
>The word sense illustrated above differs a bit from the OED sense of
>"free world" which is centered on non-communist:
>
>[Begin excerpt]
>free 2 (b)
>Applied to non-communist countries and regions. Esp. in free world,
>free Europe. Now chiefly historical.
>[End excerpt]
>
>It also differs a bit from the sense mentioned by Fred: "the world not
>dominated by the Axis in World War II."
>
>In 1942 Russia was split into a communist-dominated region and an
>Axis-dominated region. I think that the columnist believed that
>neither region was part of the "free world".
>
>Garson
>
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