Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-04
LET THE LINE BE DRAWN

Tn HIS letter to Max Eastman, editor
Of a radical publication which had been
barred from the mails President Wilson,
referring to free speech, said:
think that a time of war must be
regarded as wholly exceptional and that
II Is legitimate to regard things which
would in ordinary circumstances be in
nocent as very dangerous TO the public
welfare but the line is manifestly exceed
ing hard to draw, and cannot say that
have any confidence that l know how to
draw IT, I can only say that line must
be drawn and that we are trying, It may
be clumslly, but genuinely, to draw 1t
without fear or favor or prejudice
There is now a proposal before the
Senate to deprive La Toilette and other
members of their seats on the ground
that their utterances are seditlous and
their propaganda a menace to the sue.
cessful prosecution Of the war. The at
titude of these persons is, in effect, that
free speech is guaranteed by the Con.
stitution. that they cannot be restrained
legally in any manner whatsoever and
that It is not within the province Of the
Senate or any other body to examine
into the effect of their utterances or the
wisdom of them.
In March, 1861, Jesse D. Bright, thrice
Senator from Indiana, wrote to His Ex-
eellency, Jefferson Davis, President of
the Confederate States" a letter intro
ducing an inventor who wished to dis
pose Of an improved frearm. The afore-
said Bright was handled with gloves by
the Judiciary Committee of the Senate;
but Charles Sumner finally forced a vote,
and Bright, in February, 1862, was for
mally expelled. The Senate, If two.thirds
Of the membership will it. can expel a
member without giving any reason what.
ever. It can expel him for general "cus-
sedness." The power is unquestioned.
But in the case of La Toilette and his
associate agitators, is 1t expedient and
do he and they deserve the humiliation?
AS to the expediency of it, there is a
powerful paciflst element in the North
west, a deluded element, and undoubtedly
the Wisconsin Senator has relied for sup
port on this home sentiment. He is
making political capital by taking issue
with national policies because he believes
that those national policies are not local
policies. Popularity in his territory, he
concludes. is on the other side of the
fence. He is probably wrong; but whether
he is wrong or right, expedlency should
not govern the Senate's action. When
you get hold of traitor, skin him. There
Is nothing else to do.
We are for free speech. America
lauds Harden because he tells the truth
IN Germany and fears no man. Patrick
Henry was not afraid of treason. For
him there was only one treason, and that
was treason TO his own people and his
own country--America. But a war Of
the character of that in which we are
engaged makes new rules. Traitors could
run wild and trouble-makers talk their
heads of until war was declared. Then
by all the precedents set, there could be
but one Americanism. and that the Amer
icanism of cooperation. But under the
mask OF free speech certain Of our pub
lie men are engaged in slimy, reptilious
movement. They do not demand that
the war end. They attempt rather tc
compel the adoption Of policies which
would assure the defeat of our troops II
the held. They want to bring 1t abou
that failure win rest everywhere on oul
arms and we be forced TO acceptance O
German terms. They seek to create clas
dlasension and dissipate the energies o.
the nation. They are not truly pacifsts
they are agitators.
The President. with his accustome,
tact. has stated the case in nutshell
Extraordinary occasions require extraol
dinary treatment He dislikes to dra,
any ilnA e all: but he cannot prosecut
me war successfully unless he does--an
he 4 going 10 see that this country is sue
ceestul. no matter how many La Fo
'tltes there are. Every citizen is at lib
.Iit g be an American. but no citizen
d, liberty 70 BE- . traitor.