New-York tribune., 1916-07-12
ORGANIZING AMERICA
The Plea Is Made for Abandoning lndivid-
ualism for National Interests.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In your issue of July 5 a Mr.. Scot
takes exception to the argument for national
organization advanced in my "Unorganized
America" in The Tribune of June 2S It may
have been caviare to the general. But, be
that as it may, Mr.. Scots answer, undoubted-
ly expressing line of thought probably fol-
lowed by millions, deserves very serious dis
cussion and enlightenment.
Ny communication did not either inten-
tionally or unntentonally, stalk any possi-
BILE design of big business to cast freemen
into chains. This seems to be Mr.. Scots par
spoke a passion for our rather opaque citi-
zenry-that it should gain the full enjoyment
guaranteed by our bill of rights. The bur
den of my message was and is that We, the
people, are the government, and as such
should reorganize for efficient responsible
government.
The ostrich may hide his head in the sand
but the wise man will gain a constructive
lesson from the war abroad. The European
dvnely conceived, that in the struggle for
existence the fttest shall survive. 1t in
wolves, not Mr.. Bryans law of love, but the
divine law of love. which at times passeth
the understanding of mere finite man-and
Mr.. Bryan.
Why firt with Providence? Why deny
facts to pick on big business? IT, for the
sake of argument, we admit that Europe's
cataclysm is a of diplomats in the pay
of capital, il does not in the least alter our
case. There is no subtle connection here be.
tween capital and preparedness. Capital
frankly asks for protection. 1t is more wise
than are we. 1t sees the imperative need. By
no means should the octopus be permitted to
suck our blood choke with its long,
farreaching arms. But in so far as it be-
haves itself it mus. have our protection, for
it is of our own making. Money seeks money
collects, gathers, flows on obedient to eco
nomic law into reservoirs of wealth. The
widows mite, the workmans savings, the
small stockholders investment, contribute to
capital as naturally as brooklets feed the
larger stream. The flow to and accumulation
of wealth is as understandable as the force
of gravity Capital is compelled TO grow and
work in order to bring us returns. It's con-
servation Is necessary to that end. 1t in
wolves wages, hire, prosperity, enterprise
progress 1t cannot be destroyed without our
being destroyed. Shall we therefore be
nulish and sacrifice ourselves TO narrow
fears and views? II we are afraid that big
business in this country would seize our
armament If we are armed, are we not also
afraid that the big business of Europe will
benefit by our disarmament TO attack US? By
t1nt ar -
prefer to have the "brigands" come and get
us rather than that our thugs" should 90
and get them? National self-preservation is
the point at issue. The Chinese view of il
contains too much Wilsonian morality for
divine evolution. Dieu est toujours pour les
plus gros bataillons.
Our ideas OF "entirely adequate" defences
are as illusionary as school histories of the
United States. The robbery OF the Treasury.
details OF criminal waste, neglect and ineffi-
cheney in army, navy and other matters by
an incompetent government are very peril
nent, but too full TO be dealt with here Spe-
cifcally the purpose here is to correct the
mental attitude of many toward government
and its relation to great wealth.
Organized capital, labor, politics, the mill
tia and the Grand Army OF the Republic
form the invisible government that gets what
it wants because of organization. As indi-
viduas, we, the voters, do not get what we
want because Of lack of organization. The
Congressman is returned to Office so long as
he satisfies the greed of his district. Evil
IDENTIFY where some hundreds of local inter-
ests are struggling with each other and bar
tering away the nations welfare in an en-
deavor to divide the spoils the individual ul-
timately suffers.
If therefore we would have responsible
government, we must sacrifice our conflict
ing local interests and organize from . ma