Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-26
EASTMAN AND cREEu,

MAX Eastman, who says that since
the American soldiers have entered
the trenches he Is no pacifist, 10 try
lnSsto escape punishment, for the anti
American propaganda he published q
year ago In his magazine, The Masses,
opposing conscription and the war.
II believe now that this war u for
liberty and freedom, which did not
believe them" he said In court yester.
day. II feel sad to think of, the de-
partment Of justice being here in this
court room and elsewhere across the
country, with men Of brains and
talent prosecuting upright American
citizens when they might better BY ap-
plying their talents and energies to
bringing them to Justice"
Eastman ID not the first man who,
having besn indicted for a crime,
achieved q 'tardy change of heart and
apparent reformation. Nor will he be
the last. He was one Of the foremost,
however. In making war on the pro
posal for selective conscr1ption, which
time and events have shown was the
only method Of raising an effective
army in America.
His writings went out through the
country. They inspired opposition to
the draft. They were accepted Of the
preachment of that paciflsm and so
cialism which sought and still seeks
to disrupt the American government.
They strengthened the courage J of
draft dodgers, German spies, I. w. w.
aEitators, socialfstdc soap-bOx orators,
factory burners, crop destroyers and
! all that motley crew Of reasonable in
dividuals who helped to retArd Ameri.
cas- actual entrance into the war and
sought to stir up dissenston which
could have no other result but to
strengthen Germany and weaken our
country.
And Eastman, because he declares
he has abandoned paci6sm, asks that
he be released from custody, dis
missed from trial and restored to
standing al an American citizen as II
ha had not done or encouraged all
these acts Of violence to American IN,
situations.
He points to the German spies who
are active In America, and declares
the department Of justice should de
vote it, energies to running them
down rather than to stopping the PRO
pagAndA which IL r6sponEble IN large
part for their ability to do their spy
ing and "get away with Il"
Il Is the high-brow socialist like
Eastman and his kind, who II respon
sible for the anarchy Of the low-brow
socialist and anarchist, and for the
hope in the German spy's breast that
oven II he il caught, he will be able
Ito squeeze out Of drastic pun1shment'a
way by pleading some phase Of social
istic cant and obtaining the moral sup
port of his high-brow priests.
It Is a narrow line which divides
the Eastmans from another lot Of
pacifists, prominent among whom
stands George Creel. This is no wild
assertion, but conclusion from com
parison Of some Of CreePs writingl
with some of those which emanate
from men like Eastman, Berger ant
their kind.
Creers boast Of undying Joy owe,
his countTy's unpreparedness is M
less surprising than some Of his othel
utterances, II reports can be believed
Only yesterday, when G. Morrill, Rog
ers, business manager Of The Masses
was on the witness stand In his Owl
defense, dispatches say he declares
ICreel had given his official o X to I
|copy Of the socialistic msgaxint
(which had been submitted to him IN