The Washington herald., 1918-11-02

There are numbers of inscriptions
of public buildings and fountains
and other public edifices with which
We do not agree in spirit.
But there are several which are
not only striking but positively true.
One such is obedience to Law Is
Liberty" Inscribed as this is on
many an American court house it
means American law. naturally. and
carries with II the Implication that
where adherence is to American law
there is found liberty.
Mr.. Eastman who edits the Libe-
rator--a magazine different in name
but not in fiber from the late Masses
which he also edited does not like
the inscription. II doesn't suit his
idea of America at all. We find him
saying in his most recent issue:
1T may be expedient for the gov
ernment at war to imprison Eugene
Debs. From their point of view it
may seem prudent and necessary.
But I wonder II there are not some
among them who have qualms when
II comes to such an actin a war
for liberty. / wonder If they ever
sense the danger that when the war
is done, they may find left only the
name of what they were fighting
for. Across the face of the County
Court House, as the train pulls out
of Cleveland, you read in great mar
Bile letters this motto: obedience
To Law Is Liberty" And by means
of just such fatuous sophisms as
that, the powers that want indus
trial feudalism and bureaucracy
perpetuated after this war ends,
will get it IL then oan-"
Unfortunately there are many
people in this nation who agree
with what Mr.. Eastman says. Just
now most OF them are still. But as
the war ends and peace comes they
will gradually come out of their
holes and probably will have no
more immediate task at hand than
stirring up dissension and strife.
And their criticism Of all forms OF
government even to the one which
nurtures them will probably com
prise a portion of their propaganda
menus each day.
Just a word in advance to these
people-Mr. Eastman and his ilk.
II they work over ardently at their
case, when the men return who have
been barring their breasts TO the
( Hun guns, they will find Il huge
mass of men wholly out of patience
with their doctrines. These men
who return from the battle fields of
France. and some who have stayed
here but who have been ready to go
across If needed. will assert them
selves and run the extreme Social
lists out of the land. Toleration
with such a group as they will cease
to be a virtue. No one wants to use
force. but force will probably be re-
sorted to with alacrity IL such harp
ings as this are often seen here
abouts.
Did you know the Democratic ma
tional platform of 1916 contained vir-
tually the substance of the fourteen
peace conditions which President Will
son outlined in his speech OF January
sS 1918, to the Congress OF the United
States?
Did you know the platform of the
Presidents party. the last time he
ran, contained matter which looks
much more interesting now han IT
did then?
Did you realize one would not have
to stretch his imagination to see that
in the election of the President the
voters Of the country found favor
necessarily with the platform upon
which he ran and certainly must
have given some thought-oetore we
entered the war-to his provision OF
the national platform which men
without number have said the P1esi-
dent himself wrote?
II you didn't know or haven't
thought about these things. read the
Presidents platform plank touching
| foreign relations and see IL you don't
| get more out of it, as things look this
morning, than you got way back IN
June, 1916. when IL was written. We
quote IL here to refresh your mem
| ory:
THE Democratic Administration
| has throughout the present war scru-
pulously and successfully held to the
old paths Of neutrality. and to the
peaceful pursuit of the legitimate OBJ
| iects of our national life which
statesmen of all parties and creeds
have prescribed for themselves in
America since the beginning OF our
history. But the circumstances of the
last two years have revealed necessi-
| ties of international action whica no
former generation can have forester.
We hold that it IL the duty of the
United States TO use its power, not
only to make itself safe at home. but
also to make secure its just interests
throughout the world, and, both for
this and in the interest of humanity.
to assist the world in securing settled