The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-25
No Less Dangerous in America
Than in Russia.
Includes PrOfiteers, Labor
SIackers, Govt Officials.
MOST DAMNABLE TREACHERY
Points Out Appalling Condition
in Our Shipyards.
Republican Sena.or Stirs SEN
ate With "Wake Up" Speech.

Washington. Feb. 25.-Denouncing
the Bolsheviki surrender to Germany
Senator McCumber. Republican OF
North Dakota, told the senate To-Day
that "Bolsheviki' sentiment III
America was of no less danger TO the
cause of democracy against autocracy.
Profiteers. labor slackers and govern
ment officials who fail to stand
against them were assailed by the
senator in vigorous terms.
Unless conditions change, the sena-
tor declared. only a collapse of the
central powers can save the alles
from defeat. The senator began with
a denunciation of the Bolsheviki sur
render.
Search the worlds history, de-
clared senator McCumber, land moth
ing can be found even to approach
this mos, damnable treachery to the
faithful and bleeding allies-this
bI5ckes. treason to country and ma
tionaI honor. For this ignominious
surrender under BoIsheviki reign, let
every Russian patriot for a thousand
years wear branded on his cheek the
blush o. shame.
Emil ghtened by Russias Fail.
with this spectacle of national inn
potency and disgrace before you and
enlightened by the appalling condi-
tiOns in our shipyards. is it not about
time we were turning our attention to
the Bolsheviki doctrine of those in our
own country who are paralyzing the
arms of the government and imperil-
ing the lives of our soldiers in
France?
So. too, We have seen the effect of
this Bolsheviki sentiment, more, still
more. Always more regardless of JUS
tice. regardless of patriotic duty. in
the shameful delay in ship construc-
.tion on which the very life of a great
world principle depends and we are
told tha- every line of industry upon
W! ich the life of the government de-
pends will soon be reduced to the
same condition of impotency.
Accept This Challenge
The -ime has arrived for the Amer
lean people to accept this challenge.
This BOlsheviki cancer which is
sapping our strength and jeopa rdizing
our safety. manifests itself in its most
malignant form in supply profteering
and in labor profiteering in our ship
yards"
In supply profiteering. Senator Nc
Cumber said, he would name only one
ship yard, Hog Island The founda-
ton of that yard, he said, lis laid on
graft" and the cost of construction he
said will be three or four times the
governments original estimate" add
ing this single holdup of the govern
ment will probably cost not less than
S3O.O .OOO,0 600"
Government Officials Responsible.
Like conditions prevail he con-
tinued, "thruout the country where
ever speeding up production has be-
come necessary. Contracts of the m ost
atrocious character. always against
the government, have been o. K. ID by
government officials. The government
pays every dollar of expense for raw
materials and yet pays individuals
enormous profits. Men who never
saw ship yard. men who had no cap
ital. have been given contracts to build
ships and in turn have contracted to
sub-let those contracts to others, re-
tanning big commissions. Banks have
charged immense bonuses for secur-
ing contracts for their consumers and
all this within the knowledge of, or
easily obtainable. by government Off
cials.
Despite the fact the nation needs
ships as never before in order to
transport troops and supplies abroad
and Notwithstanding the patriotic
ferNor of GomperS, union labor in our
ship yards is Stacking in most
shameful and disgraceful manner.
Just how long the American people
Will submit to being robbed first by
the material men. then by the laborer.
encouraged and acquiesced in by the
government, the Lord only knows
If this country is being robbed, it
is the fault of the officials in charge
and not because of lack of power to
prevent 1t"
Soldiers Lives Sacrificed
Senator McCumber estimated there
were 6,500.000 men between the ages
of s and 62 this country doing prac-
tically nothing, but yet soldiers are
compelled to die for these men,"
when we send men to France and
then allow these remaining at home
to receive either enormou< wages for
labor. which they do not perform, or
enormous profits on goods furnished
thereby delaying and hindering the
government in its efforts to speed up
construction. the death of every SOL
dier by reason of this delay is charge
able not alone to the slackers and
idlers. but to members of congress as
well
Need Centralized Control
Addressing himself to Baker. Nc
Cumber said:
IF you say that a shipping board
had been created to supply the ships
and that you were concerned only
with creating an army. then it seems
to me that you have given an unan-
swerable argument in favor of war
board which would bring into accord
all of the programs of war" The
for the cataract. and we must seize
the oars and with full power of our
reserve energies We must save our
selves"