The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-01-16

terry tney seek TO graft the growth OIL
their stunted vision upon the Splen-
did and ancient tree of American in
stitutionS.
We will not have it so. we who
are Americans by birth or adoption.
We reject these impudent pretensi-
ons Changes the American people
will make as their need becomes ap
parent. improvements they welcome,
the greatest attainable well-being for
all those under our national roof
tree is their aim; but they will do
all that in the American way and in
the American spirit-and in none
other.
The time is ripe and over ripe to
call d halt upon those spreaders OF
outlandish and pernicious doctrines.
The American is indulgent to fault
and slow to wrath. But he is now
passing through a time of tension
and strain His teeth are set and
his nerve on edge. He sees more
closely approaching every day the
dark valley through which his sons
and brothers must pass and from
which too many, alas, will not return
1t is an evil time to cross him. He
is not in the temper to be trif1ed
with. Let the Bolsheviki in our
midst be warned in time.
When | speak of the Bolsheviki in
our midst as foes of National unity
mean to include those of American
stock who are their allies, comrades
and followers-those who put mar
row class interest and sloppy inter-
nationalism above patriotism, with
whom class hatred and envy have
become a consuming passion, whom
visionary obsessions and a false con-
ception of equality have inf1amed to
the point of irresponsibility. But l
am far from meaning to reflect upon
those who, while determined Social
lists, are patriotic Americans.
! believe the Socialistic state to be
an impracticable conception. a uto-
! plan dream. human nature being
| what it is. and the imnutable laws of
nature being what they are. But
| there is not a little in Socialist doc
trine and aspirations that is high
and noble, some things, too, that are
achievable and desirable.
And to the extent that Socialism is
an antidote to and a check upon ex-
cessive individualism and holds up
| to a busy and self-centered and far
from perfect world, grievances to be
| remedied, wrongs to be righted, i'd
eals to be striven for, it is force
| distinctly for good.
! Still less do l mean to reflect upon
| the labor union movement, which l
regard as an absolutely necessary ele
ment in the scheme of our economic
! life. Its leaders have acted with
admirable patriotism in this crisis of
| the nation, and on the whole have
| been a factor against extreme ten
! denotes and irrational aspirations.
Trades unions have not only come
to stay, but they are bound, 1 think,
| to become an increasingly potent
! factor in our industrial life. l be-
| lieve that the most effective preven-
tive against State Socialism is frank
| free and far-reaching cooperation
between business and trades unions,
sobered and broadened increasingly
by enhanced opportunities, rights
and responsibilities.
l do not preach standpatism. l
believe, by no means, that every
! hing is rissht Ipa9 it .is Z believe by
no means, that reforms are not nec-
! essary / yield to no one in the
warmth of my sympathy for those
| whose life is hard and weary strug-
gle 10 make both ends meet and in
| the genuineness of my desire to see
| their burden lightened. l believe in
progress and social justice l be-
| lieve we must all strive in every way
consistent with economic truth and
! with such laws of nature as are be-
| yond our power to change, to spread
| ever more extendedly the comforts,
! rewards, joys and inspirations of life.
But this is not the time for set
tling complex social questions. When
| your house is being invaded by burg
| lars you do not discuss family ques-
! tions. Let us win the war first
Nothing else must now be permitted
| to occupy our thoughts and divert
our aims.
When we shall have attained vic
tory and peace. then will be the time
! for us to sit down and reason togeth-
er and make such changes in politi-
cal and social conditions as, after
full and fair discussion, free from
heat and passion, the enlightened
! public opinion of the country deems
requisite.