The Parker post., 1917-05-19

UTTERANCES
THOSE WHO ARE WONT TO EX-
PRESS THEIR OPINION FREELY
APROPOS OF MILITARY MAT
TIERS HAD BETTER GO SLOW.

You fellows who have heretofore
been in the habit of expressing your
opinion relative to the war without
any degree of restraint and of in
dulging in adverse criticisms of the
government and it's policies without
stint, had better look little out and
bear in mind that our government
is now at war and that the time for
recklessly shooting off your mouth"
is past, regardless Of your opinion in
the matter. If you don't be careful
you are liable to be lacked up with
a short turn on a charge of treason,
and don't forget that!
Only last week three men up in
COcOninO county were arrested on
this very charge for expressing their
opinion too freely. Two of them
were discharged at the preliminary
examination for lack of sufficient evi-
dence, but the third, a miner named
ONeill, who is probably known to
some in this locality as he has work
ed in different places not far from
here, was bound over to appear be-
fore the federal courts on a charge
of treason, with bonds fixed at $2,-
500. His Offense lay in the fact, it
is charged, of his having tried to dis
suade men from enlisting by pointing
out the hardships they will have to
endure, and otherwise magnifying
the discOmfOrts of soldier life.
Now it is possible that this man
never even dreamed of committing a
reasonable oifense, thinking he was
acting within his rights with free
dom of speech as becoming an indi-
vidual of this country, but it will be
up to him to prove his innocence, and
if he can't it may be a long term in
a federal prison for him.
Freedom of speech was all right
few weeks ago but it don't go
now" This country is now at war,
and the sooner some of these lOqua-
ciOus guys wake up and find that out,
the better it may be for them.
For the first time within the recol-
lection of the majority of it's citizens,
the United States is facing real war
conditions. The Spanish war was
only skermish compared with the
magnitude that the present struggle
is likely to develop. That the admin
istration is fully alive to the gigantic
nature of the struggle is apparent
from the preparations that are being
made. While there is still hope that
Germany may see the hopelessness of
the struggle and sue for peace, with
out awaiting actual hostilities this
country is taking no chances but is
laying the foundation for long and
desperate struggle, and will stand
for no talk. idle or otherwise, that
would have a tendency to hamper it
in it's purpose.
Real war is a terrible thing. 1t
changes our habits of reasoning and
thinking and springs surprises that
we never dreamed of in times of
peace. For instance our civil war
brought out notable surprise when
it was found that in time of stress or
public danger almost absolute power
lay in the hands of the president
AS commander of the army and navy,
he actually became more absolute
than the cZar of Russia, and the
most powerful ruler in the world
With the writ of habeas corpus
suspended no court could in
terfere with his despOtic sway, and
congress became but an instrument
to execute his will. Even the mild
and conservative Lincoln did not hes
itate to exercise this despotic power,
and clearly pointed out to the nation
that in the constitution itself lay
this power to perpetuate itself by
giving the executive unlimited
power