Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-09
NO FREE SPEECH WITHOUT
RESPONSIBILITY

1tHE story runs that Bernadotte a COM
mon sergeant in the army, was found,
after the execution of Louis XIV, burn.
ing or tattooing into his arm the slogan,
"Death to kings and tyrants." Ber.
nadotte was one of the men who carried
marshals baton in his knapsack. He
was destined himself to be a king, the
only one of the creatures of Napoleon
whose heirs yet reign. Years later ill.
ness seized him and the physicians sought
TO bleed him from the right arm, as was
customary. But he would bare only his
left arm The other held the secret of
his Reputation of principles to which he
certain sort of treason. Others might
forgive him, but ne could never forgive
himself, He knew in his soul that he
had abjured his philosophy for glory and
place and he dreaded to have others
know it. So when he died but one faith
ful friend was permitted to see that right
arm. 1t was the ghost that never ceased
TO haunt him.
1t would be a pity if La Toilette and
men like him in their mad enthusiasm
for democracy should be instruments
through which autocracy re-established
itself on the face of the earth. Berna.
dotte, lighting like hero for democ-
racy. became in time himself a king.
Men who concern themselves too much
with forms and forget the substance are
sewers of tragedy and ruin.
1t would not be worth while to take La
Toilette seriously or to bring the cumber.
some machinery of the Senate into play
fUf his expulsion If he represented only
himself. 1t appears, however, that his
sophistry has won some support. There
are many weak.minded individuals who
have followed him in his delusions. He
has mixed truth and heresy with cunning
plausibility. He has tried to make it ap-
pear that Bryan was driven out of office
because he wished, as Secretary of State
TO be fair and square and neutral Mr.
Bryan, of course. retired to private life
because he had permitted an Ambassador
70 get from him the impression that one
of the most important notes ever ad.
dressed by the United States to a foreign
Power was mere buncombe, not to be
2n1r
popular clamor at home. From the mo-
n.ent the facts became known Mr. Bryan s
continuance in office was impossible.
Misrepresentation of the Bryan case is
merely an example of the general loose
utterances and loose reasoning of the La
Toilette clan. They may not practice to
deceive, but they do deceive.
There is plenty of free speech left in
America. Any correspondent can have
bis reasonable views printed in this o.
ny other newspaper But freedom OF
ech without responsibility does no,
sible government. A newspaper cannot
say anything it pleases without risking a
libel suit. The individual can be held in
damages for slander and libel Why, then
should Mr.. La Toilette imagine that he
can exert his powers to the uttermost to
weaken the martial might of the nation
and be subject to no liability therefor?
lie and his associates are not battling for
free speech. but for free speech without
responsibility, thing never guaranteed
or protected in this nation
Men may honestly differ as to policies
but we are now at war. We are at wa
because democracy here as well as ii
Ecrope is threatened We will remain a
war until real democracy is safe-saf,
fiom the Hun and safe from the will
1smasogy Of which Senator La Toilette i
% notorlous an exponent.
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