Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-07-13
"Mors Dangerous Than Spies%


This whole liquor matter has put t he
Food Bill into a muddle," complains
Senator Simmons, Chairman of thea
Senate Finance Committee. Wast
there ever any other object on the part
Of its sponsors?
II IL certain that the liquor question
was no. raised by men who are patri-
otically concerned about the food legls-
Iation that is vital to the winning OF
the war. II was not raised by men
who are interested primarily in the
defeat Of Germany and the overtime"
OF a murderous autocracy. 1t was not
raised by men who believe in a nation
al unity OF sentiment toward the great
cause in which the United states Is
enlisted. IL was not raised by men
who are trying to aid democracy III
battling down Imperialism. 1t was not
raised by men who are seeking 10 give
victory TO the American flag without
needless waste of blood and treasure.
Unless the object was to muddle the
Food Bill. there is no apparent Object
in this miserable exhibition of fanatl-
cism, hypocrisy and treachery.
Every day in which this controversy
continues. new difficulties and obstacles
are raised against the food control ana
conservation which are essential 10
the United States and its allies. 10
have been fully effective the bill should
have been passed before July /, ana
the longer the delay continues the
ereater the problem with which the
Food Administration must deal. In
ridentally. the greater that problem
the more profit various interests can
extort from helpless consumers.-Ne"
York World.
sueh false pretence IS more danger,
Gus than spies" That a great news
paper should carry to the people the
wicked utterance of such a falsifler is
q shame upon America.
The facts are that the administration
urged patriotic food conservation
upon every citizen. The urgency was
accepted in good faith by the people.
They responded as they understood.
They arc practicing and learning to do
withor. many luxtlries. They have
not resented in any manner the urged
curtailment Of their indulgences. At
the same time. under equally urgent
requirement by the government, they
Shave increased enormously their en-
deavors to produce more food.
But in the innocence of their hearts
millions Of people demanded that the
food they should save and the added
food they should produce =. be not
thrown away In slop for the indulgence
Of those who admit no restraint, re-
spect no law or accept no moral rec
ommendation. They urged, in hum
dreds Of thousands of messages in ev-
cry form. that the government as proof
Of Its sincerity. SAVE the food that is
worse than wasted in booze.
And now this malicious influence
says Of the people of the churches, the
oranges. the patriotic organizations of
every town, and city. and state, the
Christian homes Of America:
1T is certain that the liquor question
was not raised by men who are patriot
ically concerned about food legislation
that Is vital to the winning of the war.
i: was not raised by men who are
interested primarily in the defeat of
Germany and the overthrow of a mur-
derous autocracy. It was not raised
by men who believe in a national unitv
AZ sentiment toward the great cause
m ~hich the United States is enlisted -
Unless the object was
10 muddle the food BILL there is no ap-
parent object whatever in this miser-
Aole exhibition of fanaticism hypocrisy
and treachery"
There YOU have a specimen OF the
deliberately false and libelous utterance
OF those in the paid service of Kine
Booze. No other-recruiting agency Of
the Devil would have the supreme con.
tempt for truth and justice daily ex.
hibited by these desperate defenders Of
an evil traffic
Indeed the prohibition feature Of the
food bill was inserted by the admins
tration because. presumably, as deyel-
opments have revealed. the demand OF
the people could no, be ignored.
But the New York World tells its
readers that the object of the people
who are paying for the delay was TO
muddle the food bill"
There is one of the big city influences
that is working on Congress, and en-
shaved and craven politicians dare no,
disobey. II 1t is treason to express
contempt for them. then the public is
outspokenly reasonable.
The New York World and such tools
OF an evil business tell you that the
only people who refuse to do their Bit
by depriving themselves in any meas
rre are those who indulge in booze
And that is as false as the otherfor i,
10 not the consumers Of beer and whis
key and wine who refuse to respond &c
the eeuntry's needs, but the makers ano
sellers Of the stuff.