Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-24
THE CAMoUFLAGE.

mess to adopt words ana phrases lIou
every other tongue, manages to afford
an expression which. If one seeks long
enough for it, saves him from using
profanity in describing the program OF
thinly disguised disloyalty which Sen
ator Lafollette is following.
Over in Europe, the French artists
conceal guns. roads and whole en-
campments of soldiers behind cleverly
painted blinds. and these war masks
are called camouflage. American cor
respondents in Europe used the
French word. explained it and incor-
porated it into our language just IN
time for American editors to employ
1t in describing Mr.. Lafollette, MP.
Hearst and others of their sort.
For these men are masking what
amounts to disloyalty behind camou-
flage of country-love and love for the
common people, whom they trust to
remain always ready to accept their
protestations of self-sacrihcing and un'
selfish friendship as solemn truth.
Mr.. Hearst, like Mayor Thompson of
Chicago, is opposing the dispatch OF
American soldiers to Europe on the
plea that they should remain at home
to defend America against attack. VI
course, this is just what Kaiser Will
helm wants, for it would permit him
to conquer the entente allies and then
come surging over to America with
the combined strength OF victorious
and conquered nations, to transform
this country's busy cities and broad
agricultural districts into shell-torn
battlefields and eventually into Ger
man territory.
For Germany, if she should conquer
Europe, could conquer the world.
There can be no denying that fact.
And only Americas Intervention with
armies and every other resource at her
command can stop the war and check
the German force of conquest on the
eastern side of the Atlantic and pre-
vent it's spread to the western coast.
Mr.. Lafollette opposes sending men
to Europe too. But he goes farther.
In his speech in the senate yesterday
he made plea for higher war taxes
on war profits. which would have
been strong and worthy of approval II
he-had stopped with the tax argument
instead of using 1t as a camouhage for
some Of his disloyal, un-American
pacifist rot.
The rank and file of American citi-
zens, while they are willing to pay
their just shares Of the cost Of the ma
tons participation in the war, are in
hearty sympathy with the plan which
is gathering strength in the senate for
compelling big incomes and war pro-
fits to pay as much of that cost as II
is possible to obtain from them
through war taxes without Gripping
production, industry and the nations
financial fabric.
With few exceptions, perhaps, the
men who are realizing big war profits
and enjoying big incomes from the for.
tunes they have amassed In America
are subscribing to the same PROPOSE
ton. The task before congress is to
make the tax levies high enough to
tighten the burden Of the poor and
middle classes and to stop at that
point where further taxation on the
wealthy sources would spell financial
disaster.
That is exactly what the sane and
patriotic members of congress are
Trying 10 90. we may CTltlClSe them
individually or collectively on occa
sion, but we must, in fairness. admit
that the great majority of senators
and congressman, like the great ma,
jority of American citizens, are loyal
and true in their efforts to assist in the
successful prosecution of the war to
the end that it may result quickly in
an unqualified victory for American
arms and American ideals.
Meanwhile, Lafollette. whatever
may be his reason, is making infiam
matory speeches full of the senseless
sophistries of socialism and pacifism
which would delight the ear of the
German emperor, but have no place
in the minds Of patrioic Americans.
ANOTHER LESSON FROM WAR.
Members Of draft exemption boards
all over America have been wonder
struck at tire evidences Of a lack OF
thrift broadspread among the people
of the country. In conducting their In
nu;rioc IN ascertain the soyndnesS nj