New-York tribune., 1918-05-13

statement to the press IN reply to yopr on.s
challenge attacks your Office for NOT ;nts.
1erlng with the Hearst newspapers 80
defends "The Metropolitan Mavsz;n.ss ans
"Collier's Weekly" and The New Yorl T.ss
une, which publications the Administers.
has found unfriendy.
AS magazine writer I am greatly ;r..
ested IN the Interpretation and enforcem.r.
OF all legislation looking toward she am
preston of disloyal propaganda in ts,
country during the period of the war.
nave not always agreed with your ofic. !,
certain procedure, ard l do not now ayrs.
with the tolerant attitude which you tak,
toward the Republican press AS sea :
the Republican press is distinctly unfr;endlv
to the President, and uses blatant raw
outage Of patriotism to cloak a long s.-;..
of msdeeds. The Socialist press which e.
the most part was friendly to the Presiden.
but which honestly opposed the war b..
neen stamped out of existence, but the Ps.
publican newspapers and magazines bav.
peen allowed to flourish unmoles.ed. IL
not think this was quite right, nor was j.
conducive to the successful prosecution ~
our part in the great war.
IL we Will turn back a moment TO a cor-
sideration of the results of the last prss;.
dental election will see that Mr.. Wills,
was returned to the White House for ~.
reasons. The first of these was thu Renrb
ilcan candidate and the second was the Iarc.
radical and liberal vote which was east r.,
the President because of the general unde,.
standing that 1T was the Administrator.
intention to continue its efforts toward
negotiated peace and the early close of ths
great confilct The Socialist press was
justly Jubilant over the Democratic vietoyv
Z. fbo
ever growing radical organization.
The declaration of the German Emn;re on
January 81, 1917, 20 wage relentless end nm.
restricted submarine warfare. and this cnrr-
trys consequent entrance into the strife
was genuine bombshell to all Socialist,
ana radicals, and these persons sincereIy
and openly opposed the attitude of the Pres
1dent and fought against the declaration AZ
war until the last minute The Republican,
and the Republican press watched with real
glee the events of last February. March and
April, and their reason for supporting tbe
war was none other than a wish and ain.
cere belief that the Administration wou,d hs
oollged to compromise with Republicans
poth IN Congress and out. and make ready
return OF the Republican party 10 power,
me hepubllcan press and leading Repub.
llcan spokesmen have never let pass anv m.
portunity to insult the President his css.
met, the Democratic leaders in Conrres.
and all others whose difference Of view cams
to their attention.
Ihc New York Tribune is to nv mind an.
OF the most traitorous publica tions in tie
country NO day has passed since this conn
Try entered the war that The Tribune Sia
hot IN some subtle and miserable way st
tack and insult the Administrations efforts
IT'S method Of procedure is distinctly ma
ncious. For instance. it attacks Attorney
General Gregory by demanding the naict
ment and arrest of Scott Nearing. and the
afticle III which this attack is conveyed is so
suntly and dangerously written as to cause
popular belief that Mr.. Gregory is not faith.
lui 10 the duties of his office. Again. il CAM
palgns against DR.. Garfield, and provides
pages Of quotations from letters and state
ments offered by industrial leaders of its
own political belief, seeking to show that the
lndustrlal life of the country is endangered
py Dr. Garfield's method of conserving fuel.
third example is the attitude of The Trib.
une 20 the editors of "The Masses In this
case The Tribune is consistently cndeayor-
ing 20 influence the jury which will hear the
evidence in the second trial of these nersons
t IN such way as to lead these jurors to be-
heve that unless conviction is given they
themselves may be subject to trial and inn
prisonme ant.
"The Metropolitan Magazine" also has
slandered the Administration repeatedIy.
ano, lhasmuch as this publication is con-
'roiled oy MI. Roosevelt himself, anything
which he may say in behalf of it j. in real
lty defence Of his own partisanism.
"Colliers Weekly" on the Other hand
seems to have been more friendly in some
ways TO the President and his officers. and
iot 'he moment do not recall reading any,
thlng IN that publication which | would
consider unfortunate at this time.
AS 1or the Hearst papers, hold no brief
Tor them. | consider Mr. Hearst liberal,
man who sees the growing progressive
tendency IN this country, and who has
sought to make his newspapers voice that
spirit. thlnk Mr.. Hearst is often misn-
formed and do not always accept his
opinion OF any political move do, how
sei, peiie'e MI Hearst to be loyal to the
PRESIDENT, to the Administration and to our
country. l have never known tho Hearst
papers TO miss an opportunity to uphold
ana lndorse the Presidents views. No
more nave | ever known The Tribune to
say kindly word in the Presidents be-
haH' The New York American" and The
new iork tribune are as directly opposed
as lhough they stood at opposite ends Of
the earth, and The Tribune seems TO maks
1T favorite indoor sport to slander and
insult Mr.. Hearst and his organ ization on
an occasions. / think it may be offered in
Mr.. Hearsts behalf that he has taken
more dignified position.
Inc thing which | regret most is that
the labor and socialist press, which would
nave been friendly to Mr. Wilson's war
aims and peace terms, has been exteryni-
mated AS see it, Mr. Wilson needs the
friendship of labor and liberals every.
where l certainly hope that in the future
your department will be as consdersts
toward Socialist publications us it has been
TO the very Republican organs which Mr..
Roosevelt so Justify defends.
The question of the censorship OF the
press is most delicate one, and. nasmuch
as the war is likely to last long time.
think it would be we'll for the Administrs-
tion to consider the above suggestion :m-
mcdiately. However, if any papers are to