Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-26
GROWTH Of SOCIALISM
REAL DANCER OF WAR
Illinois Congressman Warns
Atlanta Merchants of
Menace to Republic

COHS ItSSIIldI I1Glly l. LNhAuCys VI AAAA-
nois, vice chairman Of the ways and
means committee of the house, speaking
before the Atlanta Retail Merchants as
ISOLATION and the Chamber of Commerce
Thursday night, declared the War-made
necessity of government control of rail-
roads is a development of a socialiStic
principle more dangerous to the indus
trial and social system of the United
States than any of the problems of the
great war. The nation, he declared, is
being drawn irresistibly by the necessity
of war into the very maelstrom of So
cialism as advocated by the Socialist
party" which he took occasion to de-
nounce as disloyal to the government
I'VE have a danger showing it's head
in this country which must be dealt with
as must all dangers if we intend to keep
the United States republic" he said.
1.-The advance of socialism in this couE-
try is alarming unless the business men
Of the country revolt Not only were
the owners of railroads willing that the
government take over control of their
property because they were guaranteed
an income, but the coal mine owners are
also willing that the government take
over their property if they are guaran-
tsed an income. What is there to pre-
vent the same desire by the copper mine
owners. and the telegraph and telephone
the railroad employees, who are in fact
government employees because congress
can raise their wages, one-sixth of the
voting population of the United States
is on the government payroll, enough to
decide elections. The government can
do some things well. but what would
happen If the government tried TO
do everything, and everyone dependent
on the government for his wages?
Danger OF Socialism
"The necessity of war is drawing us
irresistibIy into the very maelstrom of
socialism, and if any party continues
to urge government ownership after
the war-then socialism is here
"rrhis is the socialism," he said,
(which is little short of the socialism
advocated by the new republic and the
socialism which means the overthrow
of the Industrial system of the United
States and the world. 1t is more dan
gerous to our Industrial and social sys-
TENS than any of the problems of the
great war; for under IL every one would
be guaranteed an income by the gov
eminent"
The socialist party of the United
States, he said, should be held up to
scorn for its disloyalty to the govern
ment.
1.-THE socialist party at convention
IN OL. LOUIS he Sdlus lSIlilSu OuI Gil
try into the war a crime against our
people and the nations of the world, de-
claring that socialists would be justi-
fed in taking up arms only against ex-
listing social conditions Last week, the
socialists met again at New York. and
did not modify in the least their st.
Louis platform. I know of no party in
the history Of any country to show
themselves so disloya1 as that"
Guest of Merchants
Mr. Rainey was introduced to the
combined meeting by w. II. White, Jr,
president of the chamber of commerce,
after w. w. Orr, president Of the Retail
Merchants association, explained that
the speaker was the guest of the latter
association and came to Atlanta in re-
Spouse to an invitation made through
Congressman William Schley Howard.
The speaker went into deaails review
ing the causes that led to the entry of
the United States in the war, which he
said so far as Germany is concerned is
a commercial war and FASTENED by that
country so it might obtain control OF
the vast areas of Mesopotamia-
"This" he said, was the commercial
dream of Germany; the capture of the
vast reclaimable areas of Mesopotamia
and through connections with the Bag
dad railway develop the richest section
Oh the WOIlu " pOb 1Cl lllS1iiJ ONOi SAAS
land, Germany over America, Germany
over all"
Although Americas entry into the war
was belated, it was marked, he pointed
out, by the attainment of a national eff
ficiency which even the Germans could
not belittle. He told of the suppression
of SPIES of the seizure of German mer-
chant vessels, their conversion into
transports to carry men and food to the
of ships in the navy yards of America;
of the organization of our armies, which
enable us to muster ten million men into
service, the largest army ever mustered
by a white race"
American Prowess
He recounted how $4,000 scientific
men enlisted in the service of the ma
ton: how the Liberty bond issues and
the Red Cross campaigns were oversub-
scribed; and the next bond issue IN
April, he continued, will be oversub
scribed."
-Four hundred thousand young Ameri-
cans" he said, ARE in the fields of
northern France, holding important sec
tors, waiting the expected assault of the
German attack; and in our sixteen war
cities there are hundreds of thousands
more almost ready to go over"
The war. he continued, has already
cost In6 OHlleu OIdlSS So,dOOsOOOJONOs
while it has cost the allied countries
$50, 200, 900, 900.
The gross cost of the war to the
United States every day, which includes
loans to the allies, he said. is $4,000
600, while the net cost is $29,000,000.
But, we are better able to stand that
cost than any other country" he said.
1--WE are the only people who are spend
ing less to conduct the war than our in
come. All the other countries are spend
ing more than their incomes.
when we see all this we feel that
we cannot lose. This war will end
when we win it, whether it be two years,
ten years or twenty years. We e1n
r+nn nd q hundred Years, war for the nrin-