The Donaldsonville chief., 1917-09-01
VAGARIEs.

members OF MS caDlneC anu pioihliiel
members of congress are to engage II
a nationwide speaking campaign fol
the enlightenment of the people as tx
the causes of Americas entry into the
war and the requisites for the success
full prosecution of the conflict.
Among the things the pedantic and
bombastic Mississippian said were the
following:
Il think the cause of this war was
the interference on the part OF Ger
many with commerce between New
York and London"
"If the submarine warfare by Ger
manv had not interfered with business
and profits there probably would have
been no war. -,
"Now the trouble in the immediate
past has been that the people have
heen piven too much misinformatlon
bv the daily papers and not enough
truth. The preparedness propaganda
Subsidized the metropolitan press ear
| " in the game and went to work to
create an influence or sentiment IN
favor of war. The reason for that
was munitions manufacturers and
other contractors wanted the profits
in war contracts"
Scant notice need be given Senator
Vardaman' proclaimed opinions as to
1.-The cause of this war; since it is in
conceivable that respectable frac-
ton of the intelligent people of the
United States can take any stock in
these peculiar views after comparing
them with the clear and luminous
declarations Of President Wilson con-
cerning the repeated aggressions, out
RACES, gross receptions and utter dis
regard of American neutral rights and
defiance of the dictates of common
humanity on the part of the imperial
German government that forced our
nation to take up the gage of battle
with that domineering, ruthless and
faithless autocracy.
With reference to the accusation of
misrepresentation and subsldizatlon
launched by the Mississippi senator
against 'the daily papers and "the
metropolitan press" we believe this
indiscriminate Indictment to be
worthy of even less consideration than
the fippant and preposterous ipse
dixit regarding the cause of the war.
We sincerely share the conviction eX-
pressed by the New Orleans Times
Picayune that no reputable newspa-
per in the United States can be or has
been bought or influenced in the
manner charged by Mr.. Vardaman,
and we are further convinced that
every other daily paper in this coun-
try which favored the preparedness
propaganda can truthfuily vindicate
it's honesty and disinterestedness in
this connection, as our esteemed con-
temporary has done in the following
editorial statement:
"The Times-Picayune has never re-
ceived-has never even been offered
pay for publication of articles on
preparedness. No space can be
bought on its editorial page. Space
that is bought on it's other pages is for
advertising purposes solely, and is
plainly marked and identified as ad-
vertising. We do not believe that
any other reputable newspaper in the
United States ~aan be bought. The
wholesale charge of subsidized
press is, in our belief, as baseless as it
is contemplate. It's makers, fire.
quently challenged to make specific
accusations or support the charge with
evidence or proof, have never met or
answered that challenge. The fanatic
or denagogue who resorts to abuse
of those who differ with him COM
monty does sosbecause he cannot meet
with argument.
Speaking for itself, this newspa-
per here and now brands the charge or
that it has been subsidized
to support of the preparedness pro-
paganda' or any other propaganda, as
utterly false and contemplate. 1t has
advocated many good causes and
sound movements. 1t will advocate
many more. But in none does it take
a greater pride than in it's long and
consistent advocacy of adequate ma
tional defense Events have vindi-
Gated the wisdom of its course and |
millions of patriotic Americans, in
cluding the president and the living
ex-presidents, an overwhelming ma
jority in both houses of congress, and
a very great majority of patriotic
Americans have acknowledged it's abb
solute necessity. We need no other
and we could have no better-vin-
dication against the cheap and con-
false slur which our Yazoo
City correspondent echoes in his let
ter"