Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-25
THE TINE HAS COME TO
FIGHT

THE massn e7'.ns ~ Thursday a. the
Academy + Music, called to protest
against goye m nent by murder and re-
version to tie methods OF the caveman
q the conduct Of societys business in
J'hiladerh hia, should be OF such proper
tions as to triEe terror to the heart Of
the officials responsible for the unspeak.
able situs 9)n which has been revealed
Citizens ed not fear to attend the meet.
ing TheJ will not be clubbed by the
police ard they will not be shot at by
thugs. The character Of the men who
ar, to ae present is q warrant OF them.
, NJ rmn, thereto e need feel that he is
jeopardizing limb and life by bis attend,
snce.
There are men who this day must feel
In their hearts that theirs, too, is some
Of the responsibility for conditions. They
have been passive under outrage. ana
many have. at one time or another, even
vrted for and lent succor to the criminal
c0nspirators. It is men Of this character,
who have at last began to feel compelling
Indignation in their bosoms, who must
redeem themselves now by active par.
ticipation in every move toward good
government. II is not too late to ex.
culpate themselves They can now dedi.
cate themselves pei nanently and with
deep purpose, TO eniess warfare against
contractor government and government
for profit and government by murder
and government by fraud. and govern.
ment by intimidation. They can pledge
themselves to themselves to make this
city better, safer place for their chill
dren to live in and they can put into
effect the principles which, first enunci.
dynasties and governments and revolu.
tionized the conditions Of livelihood for
more than half of the millions of human
beings who inhab't this earth. Surely
all good citizens have at last been
shocked into a realization of their re.
sponsibilities and their duties.
The meeting of citizens should not con.
hne itself solely to denunciation. Whether
social ostracism Of the Mayor should be
decreed we do not know We under
stand that there are already some men
who have decided TO have nothing to do
with him unless and until he is excul,
far Athenians, who loved their city
did not hesitate TO ostracize men who
deserved such treatment. We can imagine
nothing that would be more effective in
promoting good government than for
citizens generally to refuse all recog.
milton to officials who betray their trust,
dealing with them only in a business way
when necessary and having nothing to
do with them otherwise. More damning
than the verdicts of dozen courts would
be the deliberate decision of a large body
o: reputable citizens to ignore his Honor.
II would be harsh punishment and we
do not recommend it, but it has been
much talked OF in the last few days. and
certainly the close associates of the
Mayor themselves are not looked on with
favor. A social remedy OF the sort should
b. the last recourse Of decency.
Passing from the personal guilt Of the
Mayor, which there is disposition in
some quarters to minimize, the mass
meeting can properly concern itself with
a program Of fundamental issues. They
are;
1. The police must be taken out Of
politics.
2. Director Wilson must go and there
be appointed in his place a nonfactionary
who can be depended on to fulhl his
duties.
.. Political assessments must cease
forever
4. Contractor government must be
driven out
s. Rascals must cease to ply their
trade under the banners Of RepublI-
eanisn,. Factionalism must be supplanted
BY a straight fight between decency and
indeeenoy. ana no respectable person
whatever his national politics. should
eoun.enapee. aid OF in any way assist
for pariisan reasons the so-calIed orsani
,si|tn % Phnaaslphs.
me Nafe, hefius violated 81.
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