The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-16
The Editors Mail Bag

To The Editor OF The Forum:
The soldiers Of the common good,
including our own brave boys, who
are rounding up in Europe the group
of man eating tigers from Berlin
and Potsdam, must be backed to the
uttermost until said man-eating
tigers are literally exterminated and
can trouble this war-Worn old
earth no more. This is not neces-
sarily a fight for international NOR
atty; although 1t will make a prece-'
dent for that virtue. 1t is simply
self-preserving common sense. The
danger of another such outbreak of
the Berlin bandits must be averted
once for all, simply by hanging the
kaiser with a good hempen rope, to-
gether with a thousand or so of his
fellow criminals in this raping, rob-
bling, numbering raid which these
scoundrels have made on simple,
peaceful and law-loving people in
Belgium and France. This is the
whole story and this letter must be
looked at in no other light than eX-
pressive of desire to see the above
happen as speedily as possible.
whatever the cost to the civilized
part Of the world as over against
Hunpish barbarism.
At the same time we ought not to
cut off war profits from our pro-
ducers or to issue interest bearing
bonds. The first takes the ginger
out Of production when production
should expand, even If by the at
traction Of extraordinary profits, to
its utmost possibilities to help us
beat the Boche; and the second is
piiing up an absolutely impossible
and unreliable burden of interest,
and principal for the future, which
will mean social disorder later.
Let Uncle Sam avoid both OF these
evils by using the confiscatory power
he is using in other directions at this
moment to go straight to what he
wants in the market and take lit
leaving in the hands Of the owners
his receipts for the value taken, at
current market prices, including any
war profit there may be. These re-
ceipts should be not only receipts
but peremptory sight drafts, with
penalty for dishonor drawn against
the whole market, good to each
bearer in succession for all time,
commanding those to whom they are
presented offering goods for sale,
whether service or products, in ex-
change for a. corresponding amount
OF these drafts, to deliver to him who
presents them, whatever the latter
may select. at current market prices.
Drawn in all denominations from 81
up, so as to combine for any transact
/ ton, large or small, these receipt
drafts would pass on throughout the
whole people, the entire burden OF
the war which would remain to any
! body only in the diminished wealth
OF the country by withdrawals for
war uses. reflected in the high prices
Of diminished supplies; and the war
dearth and the high prices would be
/ very soon Offset by increased pro-
duction attracted by the unmolested
war profits. The high prices could
also be more than offset by increas-
ing the earning power Of the peo-
pie through such emhargoes and
high tariffs on imports as would
place with them instead OF people
abroad the filling of the three billion
dollar order for products now being
placed every year by our importers
under the low Underwood tariffs.
Eneland's embargoes and high
tariffs for this very purpose, current
ever since the early days OF the war,
have succeeded beyond the highest
expectation. Ask your readers opin-
ion Of this idea.
Yours truly
r. A. BENEDICT.
New York, Nov. 49,