The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-11

Ihere Is only one duty in such Situa-
ton: that duty is to sustain the con-
stituted authorities of the nation in
! this war
If there be criticism it must be
helpful and constructive criticism
| Mistakes perhaps have been made and
| more will be made for men otherwise
would not be human. Never in the his
tory of the country has so great an
intelligence and SO great a devotion
to the public interest been manifest
as has been displayed in Washington
during the war. Honest and fair criti-
cism is welcome but the test should
| be a crucial one as to whether the
criticism was directed in good faith by
those who desire to aid the war or
made by those who desire to hinder
the successful prosecution of the
country's aims.
Freedom Not License.
We must not forget that while the
be religiously preserved, at the same
time they should never be permitted to
become a shelter for sedition and
| treason. There is not a man who
J does not believe in the right of free
dom of speech. The government of the
| United States has imposed no re-
striction upon the freedom of speech.
| The people of the United States
through their representatives have
imposed restrictions upon treason and
reasonable speech. Freedom is not
| license. Conditions make the case. A
man may call fire in an open street
with impunity but false cry of fire in
crowded theatre is criminal. 1t may
be that in the future by reason of cir
cumstances which surround US, there
may be greater restrictions placed on
the freedom of speech so that the
| rights and privileges Of citizens in a
democracy shall be preserved for the
| long future, for unless we win this
war the question Of freedom of speech
will be an academic one.
While we must permit no issue to
divert us from the great enterprise on
which we are engaged, we must give
constructive consideration to the
problems this war carries with it.
Never in history in so short a time
have so many administrative changes
of vital Importance been effected by
our government. Under the direction
of the President of the United States
centralized power has been establish
| ed over food, over transportation,
| over the basic materials in industry
| The withdrawal of thousands of
men from industry and production,
the shifting of labor from one indus
| try to another to meet war needs has
| forced tremendous problems Of read
| justment. In the midst of the pressing
necessities of war the President has
| insisted that the country build care
fully and wisely and in the interest
of all classes of our people.
Taxation has been extended to an
unprecedented degree. In order that
the burdens of this war may be car
ried by several generations just as
its benefits will be enjoyed by them a
portion of our revenues are being
raised by the issuance of bonds. In
addition one of the most rigorous tax
alton measures according to tax au-
thOrities that has ever been passed by
any nation, is to be found in the war
| revenue bill. Incomes and excess pro-
fits have been heavily taxed. Some
single corporations under the bill are
paying ten times as much in taxes as
is raised for the whole siverign state
of Wisconsin. AS the progress of this
war makes heavier demands upon the
nation still greater exactions will be
made. Wealth must bear it's full share
of this burden. If the need arise the
man of means must sacrifice his for
tune as absolutely as the soldier gives
his life.
Excessive profits must not be per-
mitted Patriotism and profiteering
do not mix. The government has been
endeavoring by every means within
it's power to prevent the exploitation
of the public. For the year last passed
l have been engaged with the Federal
Trade Commission in making eX-
| haustive studies of the costs of prac-
tically all basic materials Of Ameri-
can industry know what effort has
been made to prevent profiteering in
dealing with the government or ex-
| tortiOn in dealing with the consumer.
From my own knowledge / can testify
to the fact that in the fixing of prices
| most careful attention was given that
| restrictions should not be visited un-
| fairly upon the prices which labor
was paid. From my personal partici-
patton in the conferences of the War
Industries Board l know with what
care the representatives of labor of
the government and of great indus
| tries deliberated over the best way
and best means of limiting prices so
| they would bear the proper relation
| to costs, and secure the maximum of
production at this time of world
scarcity. But for the action of the gov
eminent the price of coal would be
treble what it is today. The price of
pig iron is fixed at S33 ton. Condi-
tons of supply and demand would
have undoubtedly established a price
/ probably four times that existing but
| for the action of the government.
| From this work / have now re-
signed to offer myself as candidate