New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-14
Bolsheviki and Prohteers
The Latter More Of Menace to the
Country Than Radicals

To thc Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: There are various temperaments %
consider in defniny the word treason and
the protests of the American Rights League
and American Defence Society and other
patriotic organizations against the utterances
Of the american Bolsheviki' arc like the
vailmg Of children left alone in the dark.
have CLEANED more OF the doingS OF these
5o-called radicals through the reports Of their
meetings in The Tribune. and The Tnbune's
comments. than ! know OF the doings and
Vaccinations of the food sharks, fuel specu-
lators and the numerous other patriotic in
s,itutions" which are preying upon the needs
Of the ordinary workingman.
Your comprehensive and fair minded re-
ports of wha. these harmless "Bolshevikr
are irving to do impress me with your APP
nareut desire to be o. genuine service to
your public. There is just trace OF fear
However. in your voice that and the thou
sands of other readers OF The Tribune VIII
be inclined TO sympathze with the efforts
Of the "BolsheyikP as against the efforts
Of the government to pursue It's course IN
the war. Do not fear. We're just as strong
for the war and for the things II will accom-
pIish as our friend the editor. President
Wilson has even more definitely freed our
spirit in his statement of the aims Of our
government he is expressing the views
which will finally induce me to go "over
there" at the sacrifice Of my family's wei
fare.
But. if you would make me better fighter
if you would have me carry the spirit OF
God and goodness to the blinded and God
less Huns make of your more effective
weapon, the pen, and smite those enemies OF
society who are waxing rich on the profits
Of war; who are levying toll on every fam
liz man because he is married and compelling
him to pay for his livelihood away beyond
what he reasonably should pay.
You, who have the eyes of a seer, can
visualize the vast environments where Uncle
Sam houses, clothes, feeds, nurses, enter
tains and trains men-and pays them for
50 dong-for the purpose of destroying
sinister element in our body polite and
for reconstructing the ruins which this eie-
ment has accomplished Would you not
apply that same logical step, viz: Continue
the organization for the promotion of
efficient social service and rendering the
civil organization more effective? Why not
have Uncle Sam establish food markets for
the civil population, as he has established
canteens for the army and navy? The sys-
tenn may work a hardship on a few individ-
,als, and entirely eliminate the Spectator;
Lut the good it would do for the people is
inestimable.
We have this advantage, in the mouthings
Of the "Bolsheyiki": They let off their gas
and become self-satisfed with their express
sions. With the other enemies of our coun-
try there is Il grave danger and a most
serious impediment TO our unbiased thought
and action; viz: The profiteers OF this period
meet behind closed doors-they do not meet
the public fairly and squarey like the
"Bolsheyki" do with their utterance of in
tention. They go ahead and do-and they
DO the public with all the grace and nicely
Of finished light-fngered gentry. So fin
ished Is their work. that they have, for the
most part. escaped the fire Of most of the
press. There must be some pretty big men
among item, for YOU have not made any
uholesale disclosures Of names. In case Of
the petty Peoples Council" you have given
rs no chance 20 doubt of its adherents, and
the public can lay its hands on Morris Hill
cult. or Victor Berger or Amos Pinchot at
Fny time it felt these men were becoming
dangerous to be permitted at large.
As for throwing monkey-wrenches into the
machinery, a newspaper. which is silent about