Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-03
COME FORWARD, MEN!

TNHE politics OF this city has long been
in need of major surgical operation.
The cancer has worked its way deep into /
our institutions. The necessity for
heroic measures OF extirpation has been /
apparent TO those who truly love Phila-
delphia and have given care and thought |
TO an analysis Of the disease. But some.
thing like the Fifth Ward tragedy was |
requisite to shock the entire commu- |
nifty and expose to it the putrid rotten |
ness of the system which dominates our
municipal government Only an earth
quake could have shaken satisfaction out
of certain classes of our citizenry, and
we have had the earthquake.
Revelation at the hearing yesterday
got mighty close to the top when the two
Wares themselves were declared by a
witness to have had intimate knowledge
of the importation Of New York thugs.
The Wares are the men who at present
hold the city by the neck. They con-
troll the Governor and the Mayor and
dominate virtually the entire function.
Ing of government in this locality. They
are the super-contractors. mixing poll
alchemists, hiring brains when needed
and keeping tab on the public exchequer
with as much care as If it were their
own. They are ''higher-ups," in every
sense of the word, the very soul and
citadel of the system of government
which has made this city q byword and
kissing among friends Of good gov
ernment everywhere. Better than Pen
rose in some respects and worse, If pos.
tisible, in others. they nevertheless in
themselves have personified the evil
which must be excised, and in them all
the things which we hold to be deplor.
able have found comfort, aid and sue
cor. Legally guilty of constructive par
tieipation in the Fifth Ward horror they
may or may not be, but on them, too,
the moral guilt that already is branded
across the brow of the Mayor must also
rest. They were trained in the political
school that runs a course parallel to
government by murder, and he who
plays with fire must expect sooner or
later to be burned. True their faction
has done no more than the other faction
might have done, for intimidation by
thuggery is standard factional practice
btit this time there was murder, and
murder will out"
In this time of our humiliation and
disgrace, when the minds Of men are
slammed by exposure Of the practices
encouraged and condoned by the faction
lists, we again call on the natural lead
ers of the community to cast aside thei
again on men in the professions, OF
rich and powerful merchants, on al
whose influence in other pursuits give
them an immediate political standing, I
leap into the arena and drive tn
plunderers and blunderers out. Let n
man try 10 square himself with his cor
science by dilatory action or sophistlcs
argument. His duty is open, apparen
and not to be gainsaid. No citizen ca
be neutral. It is war to the death froI
now on, battle between the friend
of government and the debauchers
government. Democracy is no less ser
ously imperiled in Philadelphia tina
along the battlefront in Europe Thel
the assault is more direct and less i
sidious, but II is the same kind OF q
sault. While our young men bait
against the Hun, we at home must be
tie against prostitution of the very pri
ciples those young men go to defer
Down with the Hohenzollernsl Down wi
the petty tyrants Of Philadelphia Dov
with government by murderi There G
bs but one party for any decent CT
zen. ana that is the antimurder par
mere can be but one purpose for a
bonest man. ana that As to Join in :,
moysment to oyerturn government
alshoneaty-
may tho SCORE Of his fellow men set
aoen on The malingerer. May the ci
coward b driven TO take a stand. N
,ha ols nsn Who 50 far have pro,