Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-29


Peace Conference OF The Hague.
Whether or not airships should drop |
bombs on the German women and |
children in reprisal by US and our al. |
lies. is question that even the news.
papers seem TO be afraid to discuss.
In these arguments the pacifsts
claimed that Germany had a right to
use submarines in a ruthless war
fare because England had started to
starve Germany, and that in doing
this. England violated the law OF na.
tions. We Americans found il ex.
tremely difficult to wade through |
tome after tome OF books to discover
whether or not this claim put forth |
by Germany was true--and we should |
have been taught this In school.
Suddenly the !. W. w. question !
came to the front and the people in !
various parts of the country who felt |
that their liberties were being attack.
ed, rose to meet the situation in one |
way and another: and there was talk |
in the newspapers. and there is talk !
IN the New York newspapers today. as |
10 what is freedom OF speech. Where
is the line between freedom and Ii.
cense? What line is to be drawn be-
tween a patriot who makes fair cri.
ticism and the traitor who seeks to
injure his country? Our schools
should teach the meaning OF the word
patriot" and the meaning Of the word
traitor" They should teach the diff
ference between liberty and license,
and this question should be taught
so clearly that there could be no mis-
understanding in regard to It; and to
the end that when they are men 1t
will not be necessary for somebody to
explain to them the difference between
treason and patriotism. Is II n sub
ject upon which there can be argu.
ment? One would Just as readily
believe that man would argue and
discuss the question as to whether or
not he was liar II he were so called
by another.
How many of US are prepared to
state in a concrete way Just what we
owe our government, and just what
our government owes US? II this
knowledge had been taught in the
schools. would 1t have been possible
for Germany to have argued with US
about the right to kill our citizens
on the high seas with impunity?
Upon our entry into the war We
were Immediately invited as the ricl,
, est country, and the country with th'
S greatest resources, to contribute I,
y the war the only thing in which w
I were prepared-money. Billions upor
e billions of money were asked OF thu
r people, and weeks and months have
been used up by our congressman ant
l senator's in the discussion OF how t
3 raise this money by taxation. How
D many OF us voters know how take
2 should be raised, and are able to sa!
3 to our government whether or no
0 their action in the matter Of taxej
!, meets with our approval7 What pro
n portion of our taxes should come from
: direct taxation which the immediate
!. generation shall bear, and what pro
3 portion shall come from the sale y
:. bonds which future generations shal
Il bear; and what are the reasons 70
/. these varying proportions' All OF u
8 pay taxes, just as all OF US use is
d ures The schools teach us arithmati
n but nobody teaches us the science o
Z taxation. II the state In It's educa
n tlonai institutions does not teach u
1. regarding this vital matter OF taxation
" where shall we learn ~