The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-08-03
A Talk With Our Benevolent
Washington Government
Concerning the Needs of Men and Women Treated as
Children

Peone live in Washington as they used to live in Eng
land in the middle ages Read Mrs Green's history OF na1
time See in her pages merchants of the English cities
kneeng on the stones outside the House of Parliament
bringing presents of fresh fish and humby peoning I'VE
have too MANY sets of gaows town. we hang too many
neone The King has his gallow the Bishop has his gal
lows the Lord the Manor has his gaows we have ours 70
discourage thieves But hang too many people, give us
fewer gallows"
other merchants wanted other things And the plan
was to get on your the stones and stay there until
somebody came out noticed you tae '0
nice big turbot, and graciousy took the petition.
Men and women as regards self government live in
Washington now as they lived in England in the Middle
Ages They have nothing to say about their own AFFAIRS
They can't cast vote they can't decide whether their
street cars shall have round wheels or continue the present
They have nothing to say about the corporations that
They must get on their knees the stones outside the
Capitol or outside the White House and humbly pray
From day to day, behalf OF the kneeIng washington
ians shall offer petitions.
For instance:
Why should the people of Washington pay to go into
the water the tidal basin? great man said God may
forgive you for not giving bread to the children But ne
will forgive you for refusing them fresh air and sunlight
that cost nothing"
We say to our supreme government, "God will forgive
you perhaps for giving square wheels on the cars instead
of round for giving us impure milk instead of pure but
he will forgive you for making US pay to go into the
The land on the river is owned by the Government The
Government used to have bathing beach and bathing
pavilion and the citizens could change their clothes and
Now private individual adds his little bit of taxation
without representation He charges from n1teen 10 MY
cents for the pleasure of going into the Potomac
The water of the Potomac doesn't cost anything to the
Government and ought to the people anything
All highest and revered government in which we, the
people have no say can't you allow to have bathing
pavilion of our own paid for out of the public money
and used free by the public?
And oh high government in which its children have
voice won't you please consider setting good example
here in Washington along the line Of Government Owner
ship?
Gracious government, with the national head and
the municipal feet could you consider giving to Wash
ngton people such treatment the kind father gives to
the helpless child? We don't know what we want, and
you do-so you tell in refusing the vote But we have
Just few vague ideas at least, humble as we are
We should like to SIT DOWN once In WHILE going
home on the cars-we never do that.
The of office building to that the tenants
have in the elevators going up and coming down
he failed the tenants would move.
The street to the city what the elevators to
the business building Won't you please give US room We
can't move don't want to move but we do want to sit down
And dear father government your children would like
to be poisoned by bad milk less frequently and shocked by
constantly increasing prices less frequently and taxed by
electric light companies and other public service companies
and other corporations less industriously
This is period when the Nation must make all kinds
of experiments in food control control municipal
ownership and government ownership IN order to meet
combinations and conditions abroad and at home.
Why not try these things here with your humble peo
pie of Washington great government? Try modern meth
DDS on u.s. your voteless Ones give the benefit in
daily lives of the efficiency that distinguishes the postof
and other branches of the and shall
noric CfoUonc Suffra0nffn Writes