The daily Nome industrial worker., 1917-06-01
ANTE-DEAFT TROUBLES.

We believe il is a mistake to in- fer that any anti-militarist or pro- German agitation is in any way way responsible for the danger which the government is reckoning with ;.u anu-draft movement
 The opposition to the drafting will come primarily not so much from the young men themselves as from their parents. And where those parents have not been reused to a feeling of danger unless the war is fought in Europe, they are likely 10 offer some degree of resist ance to the sons In whom they pride, often the only son, being sent to Europe to fight a battle in which so far their minds have been unable to connect up with the for tunes of their country or it's inde- penCence.
 The maternal instinct is especially strong in American women, and they will not view lightly the draft ing of their children. Nothing could be more natural than this, and un- less government and the war sup porters are able 10 so affect the ma tional mind as to be able to make the mothers and the fathers see that unless their sons are prepared to sacrifice themselves on the battle field the independence and the safety of the country is in danger there will be trouble. While a very strong war agitation has been car ried on, it must not be forgotetn that side by side with this for the past two or thre years also has proceeded a strong pacificist agita- tion, and the democratic party. by and with the assent of the highest officials, have deliberately made pa cificism in the last election the slO- gan which led them to victory. They directed themselves sedulously to the cultivation of the idea that war
 
 ed at all costs, and the fact that Wilson kept the country from that evil, warranted his election as argu- ment enough
 Up and down the countryside went the speakers urging this point of view and impressing upon the people the vital necessity of main taining at all costs the nuetrality of the country. Through the mails went millions of copies of the key note speech of Martin Glynn. a wonde rful piece of oratory in itself, boosting this very principle and passing it upon the historic prece- dents established under the most try in circumstances by the greatest of Americans.
 Hence the democratic party, by and with the assent of the admins tration officials, fomented 1eyel- oped. and fostered the belief that the United States could and must main neutral. and that the war talk was promoted by those who were either deliberately corrupt or insanely jingoist.
 Having developed that frame of mind throughout the country, the | same party has to contend, officially. with it. The fathers and the moth ! CTS with sons of military age, as well as many of the sons themselves ! have been imbued with the notion ! that the safety of the country and ! the maintenance of the national in- tegrity is associated not with an entry into the war but in the pre- servation of the national abstention from the war in Europe.
 What could be more natural then that quoting the democratic leaders against themselves, they should re- sist the draft? If any blame is to be attached to the people, it is not by reason of any disloyalty except such as many have been cultivated by the democratic leaders them selves.
 The ceaseless educational propa- sanda along the lines of the pre- of neutrality which the democratic leaders carried on cease assly and trelessly to elect Wilson. s the very stumbling block which he administration plans now en- .ounter. They were even quoting