Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-09-07
cRIrIcIzINe THE GOVERNMENT.

In time of peace. citizens and even
aliens should be free to exercise, and
should freely exercise, the right of
criticism. All proposed laws, exist
ing laws, and even the constitution il
self are subject to criticism and
change in this free country. Crit
clsm is the foundation of progress.
1t is not possible by law to distin-
guish between fair and unfair crit
clsm and permit the one while pro-
hibiting the other, because no one is
sufhelently impartial and wise to draw
the line between what is fair and I'M
fair, If it is merely criticism and moi
an Indictment to revolt Therefore We
have the doctrine of free speech and
insist upon it.
But the right of free speech does
MOI permit one to teach or advocate
vice, crime or rebellion In a free
country, the majority rules, and guar
antees life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. Vice, crime and rebellion
are destructive of all three, and are
therefore prohibited. Freedom and
the right of free speech" therefore
do not mean the right to interfere
with the wishes of the majority nor
with the rights of others to freedom,
under laws enacted by representatives
of the majority.
Unfortunately, however, there are
many among US who are unfit for
freedom because they do not under
stand the distinctions between free
dom and anarchy and assume that
they can, because they are free, dis
regard the will of the majority and
defy the government whenever it
suits their purposes to do so. These
people also are unable to understand
that added restrictions are necessary
in time of war or in the face of a
common danger. They cannot see why
their ordinary right to walk along
street should be interfered with in
case of fire. And for the same reason
they cannot understand why their or
binary liberty of speech and action
should for the common good be re-
stricted in time of war.
We are now engaged in war 1t is
the war. Our chosen representatives
must direct how it is to be done. And
it is our duty to submit, and to do
whatever we are commanded to do
without complaint and without delay
1t is also our duty to refrain from any
criticism calculated to hinder or delay
the work of prosecuting the war with
the utmost vigor, and this means that
we must restrain ourselves from say
ing or doing anything that will en-
courage others to oppose or hinder
the work of winning the war.
Our government has the right, and
it is its duty TO take our lives and
property to any extent necessary. 1t
has the right and it is its duty to or
ganize the people everywhere within
these United States, industrially and
economically, into one vast army of
workers for the maintenance of its
armies and navies at highest efficien-
cy And instant obedience, without
complaint, is the obvious duty of ev-
cry citizen.
For most of us the burden imposed
by our government on account OF the
war is light. We are asked to assist
the Hoover commission in securing a
better distribution of food and fuel, to
| eat little more corn, potatoes, beets,
cabbages, etc, and little less wheat,
sugar and meat, in order that our
boys at the front and our allies may
/ share in our wheat, sugar and meat
| to some extent. Our government
asks this little cooperation from US
| for our own benefit, not only in the
| future but also now It asks that we
| organize, and inform the government
of our needs. 1t seeks to prevent
speculation and monopoly. 1t seeks
| to prevent the rich and well TODD from
obtaining more than their share of
| the necessaries of life. II asks those
of US who can do so to buy the lib
erty bonds and thus loan the govern
ment the money necessary to carry on
| the war to successful conclusion.
! Surely we are unfit for freedom if
we refuse this slight request, so OBJ
viously necessary to success in the
war and to the diminution of the bur
dens which war imposes. The very
fact that opposition is found. proves
| the necessity for that discipline so
necessary to the preservation of our
liberties. The fact that the opposition
| is by a small minority and that it is
due principally to a habit of disregard
ing civic duty and ~ contempt for law
and order, makes it none the less our
duty to enforce the law. The war is
daily bringing home to us the fact
that increased discipline and respect
for authority are necessary.
We have duties in this respect
which must not be allowed to end with
the war Therefore, let us organize