The daily Nome industrial worker., 1916-01-31
Because the Fathcrland and the

Because the Fathcrland and the 1 public library authorities to be too .pro-German or pro-Hyphcnate, they excluded them from the desks there in. And in at least one place (Pas aaic, New Jerscy) they were only re-admitted after the nationwide protest made the narrow minded librarisns sit up and tGkc notice that their viewpoint was not the only ono.
 The most striking thing about this exercise of authority is not the at tempted interference with the right of free expression of opinion. It is that the interference received any recognition, and attention and any serious protest.
 For it's no new thing in the United States. It's quite common thing. Thus tho great agnostic weekly The Truthseoker is barred from dozens of public libraries, hundreds of labor papers are also not admitted because too radical, and there ic nothing ct ell in the ! way of powerful protest to inter fere with this arbitrary interference with: free press.
 ' nLot no one imagine that it is be- cause the Fatherland or the Gaelic American has been, it is re-d,scov- cred, telling the truth, that they have been re-admitted to the desks in the public libraries as at Passaic Not at all. But because it io found that however wrong or however er- roneous, they represent views enter tained by those who ave also per sons of importance that they must bo respectfully received
 Very few people care anything about truth for truths sake. What all consider is how these things represented as truth arc received by persons or associations of power, If they receive this approval and this recognition, the underlings who are in subordinate positions are willing enough to acquicsce ill tho circulaticn of such opi1ions.
 No matter how true, how posi- tive, how unquestionable, how obvi- ous, how manifestly beyond all con- troversy some matters may be, il they are denied recognition by those in economic positions of power, those ideas will be taboo.
 Our ideas tcdcy pcss before the interests in instirctive review. Some of tho ideas gre conventional and respectable. not because they are true, they may be and arc very cfton false, but because their pro- pagation is to be considered as use ful in upholding the system ttat haa faOved profitable to the interests, or calculated in some measure tO csG;st in tho rete-.tion of privilege.
 When we see the powers direct
 
 pression of any idocs it is because they fear them, and the truer those dangerous ideas are the more mer- cilcss will be ti2ir suppression, ana the greator anxiety unaffected in destroying thon if possible.
 Little attention is indeed paid tt ideas that are absurd; th.t carry within themselves their own refu- tation on this account. But the ideas that expose concealed truth t.' that square with human intelligence < iand which are the logical conclu' ] sions of deductions rationa.ly made n-these are they that are feared ' beyond all others, and which will De kept away from tho masses just ai long as possible.
 The loss dan gcrous tacy ITO, th more likely of acceptction by tho authorities in positions of control That's really why the Fatherlant and tho Gaelic American are read Iaitted efter naturer consideration to the public libraries, whercc thel had boon barred, while many labol pape.s are still cut out.
 It is an extraordinary thing tha Louis M. BrGndois, just appointe'