New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-02
A Plea for Free Speech.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: After reading many of your editorials
as we'll as many letters by your contributing
editors | have concluded to vent little Of
my Americanism. If you wish you may pre-
fix German and the hyphen before that.
Should you do so, however, don't forget that
the American part is not all froth. 1t lies
too deep 1t has been tried in two wars.
Should therefore be considered at least 81
Per cent pure. Not being an Indian, not car
rying or wanting to carry the scalp Of any
man on my belt, | realize the futility of ask
ing that my Americanism be considered 100
per cent pure.
Has it occurred to you that the greatest
damage inflicted on the American people has
rot been inflicted by either of the contending
parties, but by the American people them
selves-namely, by the attempts of many to
,urtai the freedom of speech? The establish
ment of this freedom has called for the she'd
ding of more blood than can possibly be shed
in the present European conflict. We should,
therefore, guard it correspondingly.
1t is right that we should criticise each
other We should analyze their spoken
thoughts, pointing out to them where they
are wrong and agreeing with them where they
are right. We must not condemn their views
solely because they do not agree with ours.
Nor must we try by hurting insults to dis
courage them from expressing their views.
We must always bear this point in mind ::
We arc only human, and therefore are as
liable to be in error as is our neghbor. I'm
der our form Of government no man is
wholly wrong or right on matters appertain-
ing to governmental policy until the voice of
all the people has been heard and canvassed.
greatly abhor the practice of calling q
man a hyphenated this or that because his
views are not acceptable to us. Questioning
a mans patriotism is as great an insult as
questioning his parcntage. Yes, greater; for
over his psrentage he had no control.
We have no monopoly on humanity, civili-
zation or the eternal fitness of things. There
are many foreign-born citizens to whom we
could proiitably listen if we allowed them to
speak freely, unhampered by the fear of hav-
ing their patriotism questioned. True, the
radical will speak regardless" but it is not
to the radical that we look for ideas upon
which to build substantial progress. II is to
the conservative. We must admit that it was
the nterminglng of the various races and
consequent exchange of ideas that has made
this country great.
Let us criticise without insult and accept
criticism without anger But by all means
let us unite in unfolding freedom of speech
and protest every effort of our elected Off
Gals as well as "sef-apponted officials" to
curtail it.
Revolving passports for criticism of a pub
lie act by public official is an attempt at
the curtailment Of freedom of speech, which
every man in America should protest While
in the incident in mind the punishment may
have been just, still We have delegated to no
official all the powers of judge, jury and
prosecutor. Consequently, that act was an
arbitrary act that, if left unprotected, may
and probably will in the future be used as a
precedent upon which to hang acts that
would greatly curtsil freedom of speech. We
must not acknowledge that our officials are
above criticism, lest they get it into their
heads to attempt to restrict criticism.
FRED w. MAYER
| Jersey City, Oct. II, 1915.