The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-10-04
STRAIGHTEN THE LINE
(By Henry A. McAnarney)

Inc time mas passed Tor giving
reasons why the United States is
in the war; there is no necessity for
justifying her historical course; pre-
war analysis is wholly out of order.
Pacifist quibbling has been ripped
apart; academic contentionists have
been slammed in the jaw; soap-boX
philosophers have fallen through and
the voice in opposition has been
punched speechless.
1t doesn't matter what the coun-
try's war aims are, what her peace
terms shall be, whether she shall
dominate the world after the war or
resume her normal economic place.
These do not concern the American
of today
The one fact is paramount: The
| United States is IN the war!
Nothing now remains but to fight,
and continue fighting until we win.
The problems developing as re-
suit of our participation in the war
cannot be determined now. We can
not pause to argue, to debate, to
consider anything having to do with
the war except the quickest way to
win it.
| The lives of the flower of our man.
hood facing the dangers of the bat
tie front are too precious to temper
ize with obstructionists. Be they
Prussian propagandists clothed in
the habiliments of Liberty, be they
defenders of Truth seeking a Higher
Order, be they plain American idiots,
they must be booted out Of the line,
shorn of their pretenses, labeled and
exposed to view.
/ Our boys overseas and our boys
who are on the way must be given
unanimous support at home. Their
lives shall not be needlessly sacri-
| feed
Every hours work lost, every word
! lightly spoken that favors the enc
my, every foolish argument that
weakens the industrial morale in
this country means a prolongatior
of the sacrifice that war entails.
Idle words are mere sparks, but
sparks cause fires and fires cause
conflagrations. Even words should
not be idle. Make words work tt
win the war.
The Prussian and the Bolshevil
know the value of idle words; they
understand where to place theil
sparks; they choose well the places
70 start their fires. They cas-
those sparks into the munition works
and shipbuilding plants of this coun
try and fan them into flames b!
drafts of discomfort.
Every days delay in building
ships, every pause in the machiner!
of a munition works, every MAJ
who can be enticed from his labor:
means a halt on the battle front
means momentary advantage to the
enemy, means a prolongation of the
war, means the greater risk of pre-
cious American lives, and means {
quivering in the morale of our sol
diers.
The Prussian propaganda and the
Bolsheviki are abroad in the night
They may not be paid in Prussiar
coin; they may not knowingly be
allied with Prussia or with the Boil
sheviki of Russia. They may have
no human shape.
They are ideas, theories, menta
attitudes which are expressed ever
by lips that boast of their American.
ism. But an American is more
than a mere name; it is fealty tc
the country, unflinching defense OF
her cause. sacrifice for her princi-
pies, absolute obedience to her dem
ocratically chosen administrators in
time of war, confidence in the hon.
esty of her purpose, and unqualified
support of her Army and Navy.
These qualifications constitute an
American in these times.
Those who have not them are be-
got of Prussia.
They must stand forth!
We must straighten the line!
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