The Washington herald., 1916-05-17
Two False Indictments.

The National Capital is immoral and must
be cleaned up, and the United States army is
composed Of drunkards who must be reformed.
Either the other would condemn the peo-
pie as we'll the government OF the United
States, but both these startling statements we're
presented recently positive facts in one days
news, and by authority of men whose profess
sion is consecrated to the everlasting TRUTH A
minister Of the Gospel made the charge against
the National Capital to young people who live
in the Capital A minister Of the Gospel made
the charge against the United States army to
the General Conference Of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church in session at Saratoga Springs
1t is both fortunate and unfortunate that
neither charge sustained or even supported
by facts; fortunate for the country, and un-
fortunate for the profession OF the clergy which
should above all else be careful to speak the
truth in all things both great and small 1t is
also fortunate that the people OF this country do
not believe either statement to be true. 1t is
the weakness OF such men. overzcalous in the
search for something to REFORM TO believe the
worst they hear rather than the best and to
seize upon rumor rather than fact to sensation
allze their work, even though they scandalize
the very people before whom they appear as
teachers and leaders in Christian morality 1t
is also unfortunate that have scandal fac
tories here, deliberately established and main
tanned for the purpose OF misreprcsenting condi-
tons in the Capital for the purpose OF creating
an impression that the managers of these scandal
factories are laboring among people worse than
the heathen and that they need the financial as
we'll as the moral support OF the good people of
the country at large. These agents spend the
winter months in Washington manufacturing
scandal which they send out TO the country in
letters, circulars and communications to inno-
cent editors OF religious and reform wecklies.
In the summer they travel Chautauqua circuits
and campaign for funds to support them in their
Herculcan efforts to clean the Augean stables of
the nation They are successful financially. be-
cause their imposition is on the people who
never visit the National Capital and who know;
nothing about the army and navy except what
they read told.
The best hope for meeting such scandals is in
the increasing popularity of Washington as an
excursion center, and the increase in the num-
Der Of cadets and mdshipmen for the army and
navy schools which are drawing the best youth
Of the land. The crowds of young people from
the schools and colleges that now daily throng
the Capital will go home with better and truer
information to meet these scandals deliberately
circulated for purpose and the young men from
every Congressional district who are entering
the army and navy service schools will be able
to convince the home folks that they have not
entered upon career of debauchery.
But aside from these campaigns for reliable
education, the great church organizations, di-
rectcd by responsible as well as Cody men,
ought to follow the example of Congress and
compel those who utter sensational charges
against men organizations or communities to
present the proof Of their charges or apologize.
1t is a good old rule, to put up or shut up even
though it may sound sacrilegious to some Of
those who assume that the ministry is place
where faith takes the place of truth.