The Clio messenger., 1917-07-06

4
potsm and at an enemy to all civiliza.
ton.
There are other government organi-
cations whose anti-American labors
are evident I'm Washington day by day.
The out-and. out anarchist is the least
of the evils. The Goldman group rep
resents no particular problem to the
government. What II Is going to say
and what II Is going to do Is known
pretty well in advance and the effects
Of Its propaganda are provided against.
1t Is the group of people who hitherto
have stood or pretended to stand for
the good things of life who today In
their attempt TO help the kaiser and
to hurt Uncle Sam are giving the gov
| ernment most concern.
In all parts Of the country these
groups are continuing their efforts to
hurt. The government knows all about
them, where they are, and Is we'll ac-
quainted with the individual charac-
teristics or idlosyncrasles or whatever
they are of their members-prominent
and hitherto revered men and women
in Chicago, with others less prominent
and less revered but generally respect
ed; groups of men in New York recog-
nized In the past for their educational
endeavors organizations with head
quarters in Washington all appear to
be doing their best for Germany and
their worst for Uncle Sam-all these
are known, all their doings noted, and
yet the means to punish Is not avail.
able.
Some Examples May Be Made.
1t seems to be necessary for the gov
ernment to ignore much of that which
Is being done in the naple of humanity
and In reality in behalf Of the kaiser,
because II does not desire to make
martyrs of persons who In the past
have held the respect Of their fellow
countrymen. 1t seems likely, however,
that If things go on as they have been,
examples must be made here and there
of those who In their enthusiasm In
the cause Of foreign despotism over
run the mark set at the edge of the
! field of treason.
Thus far most of the agitators
against their cOuntry's safety, perhaps
under legal advice, have managed to
keep In the main within the law. There
seemingly Is q determination on the
part of the government to do some
thing when the extremists forget them
selves and say or do those extreme
things which they are only too anxious
to say or do If they think they can
say them and do them unscathed.
There Is belief In Washington that
some few Of the men and women who
have covered themselves In the past
with the cloaks Of public benefactors
may be found 10 be active in other
ways than in merely obstructive ways.
There are spies In the United States,
and officials say they are doing what
they can to deliver the cause of this
country over. AS the general view Of
things here seems to be, 1t would be
heart-breaking job for the govern
ment to shoot an obstructionist by or
der of a drumhead court-martial, but
when the combination of obstructiOnist
and spy can be had, the shooting would
not hurt Uncle Sans conscience In the
least.
Food Bill Badly Named.
There are friends of the administra.
tion In Washington and among them a
good many members of congress who
hold that the food control bill, to which
there Is considerable opposition In con-
gress, Is badly named measure. Ac-
cording to the critics 1t should have
been called a regulation bill.
Notwithstanding the opposition to
the food measure, as Ii manifests itself
In congress, 1t is safe prophecy that
1T will pass, because there has been q
sufficient sounding out of the views Of
members to make 1t appear that sue
cess for 1t Is assured. 1t can be put
down as fact also that all the other
war measures which are now before
congress, including the one for an ap-
preparation Of 5000, 1000 for an intensive
and extensive air service, also will be
sanctioned by the two houses.
Concerning the matter Of the food
regulation bill, or to give 1t what It's
friends call the Objectionable name Of
food control bill, 1t can be said that
from letters which members Of con-
gress receive from their constituents
1t Is apparent that hundreds Of thou
sands Of people seem to have a fund
of misinformation concerning what 1t
Is intended to do under the provisions
Of the bill when 1t becomes law.
Odd Mlseoneeptlon Of tho Bill.
1t Is curious thing, perhaps, but
the impression Of the majority Of the
protesting letter writer's seems to be
that the United States government in
tends to form gigantic trust, the OBJ
ject Of which Is to put the prices Of
wheat, potatoes, corn, and other neces-
saries Of life, up to the top notch, and
to make the people pay twice as much
money for these commodities as they
have been In the habit Of paying In the
past. In other words. there seems to
be feeling throughout the country,
and 1t is not in spots, that the govern