The Washington herald., 1918-01-07
M@N::

Socialists are taking pleasure out
Of tine fact that several Of their prin-
! cipal tenets are finding general ac-
ceptance in the national government
today.
The cry to Socialism is a far one
Impossible, of course-but there are
several things advocated by them
which are today at our doors, or in
our very midst
The activity of the general gov
| ernment thus started, 1t may be put
down. will never be altered to the
| extent of going back to the old forms
Of living. We bade goodbye to these
in 19l7-and during the coming year
will welcome more OF these unusual
things to our domain.
| However much we NAV acclaim
the Populists or the Socialists. or any
other of the minority parties as the
authors of some OF these steps,
/ though. the fact remains that a COM
bination Of Democratic and Repub-
lican forces put them through dur
| ing Democratic administration. The
\ honor will go to the latter party in
largest measure, perhaps, but GER
tainly much honor belongs to the
| Republicans for their wholesome. un-
stinting work in the War Congress.
The great big principle of Social
ism-the ono of community and gov
| etnmental ownership of all property
Is the bar to acceptance of Social
ism as a real power. That prevents
the party from prospering, and il
will keep it from becoming a DOM
inant rerty in this country. The
principles that are worth while in
the Socialistic camp Will be taken
over by one or the other Of the DOM
mating parties, just as they have
been taken over. with notifications,
during the past few months.
Socialism, tempered with reason.
could prevail. perhaps. The fact that
other parties temper all doctrine with
reason allows them to take the dom
mating power that Socialism might
have If its doctrines we're not so
| radical.
The position OF Socialists on the war
has not been such as to make them
firm among patriots. The Socialistic
| doctrines as preached by some of the
made in Germany Socialists are
wholly out Of sympathy with the
spirit or democracy. For that reason
the advent OF much Socialistic doc
Urine IN this country will be accom-
panied. as 1t already has been, with
q general weakening Of the Socialis-
| tic cause itself. Meanwhile some of
the worthy principles go marching on.
In the hands of other parties.
The Populist party was born and
lived for a time as fiery power. But
1t died eventually. never to rise again
with the old name. But many causes
which the populists espoused with all
ardor were taken up and enacted into
law by other parties. Such NAV be
the fate Of the Socialists, although the
one principle which is fundamental
with the number may be sufficient to
use as the nucleus for a party that
viii always be In existence but never
severely threatening the existence Of
either OF the major parties.
The first amendment to the draft
| law, so 1t appears now-and il NAV be
the only amendment made for some
time-will be to make It possible for
all those who have attained the age
Of y since June 5, 1917, to become sub
ject to the legislation.
Gen. Crowder has not consulted
more than casually with members of
the military affairs committee of
either House over the matter. but it
is known that no other suggestions
are likely to come from him for some
time. IL this amendment can be at
tended to in the not far distant fu-
ture.
The suggestion that men over the
maximum of the late draft be in
cluded In the law has always had the
opposition OF Gen. Crowder a. Go said
He says that IL all men of that age
were listed the number of exemptions
would be very high on account of the
large percentage of them who are
married or in steady occupations. Also
much time would be lost In sitting
out the facts with regard to their
conditions. And. in many cases,
where they would be taken a greater
hardship would be worked upon a
larger number Of people.
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