Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-10-18
MILITARISM

Perth Amboy is about to get a taste Of what Prusslan mihtarlsm
means Where the military east rule the civilian has nothing to say.
When a vounR officer comes staggering down the street it Is up to
everybody not in uniform, and those who are in uniform but VINO ar
Of lower rank than the young officer, to clear the sidewalk. Inc man
in uniform can get away with almost anything and the civilian VINO
has the temerity to complain is often severely punished for his IN
science.
We are not accustomed to mnitarism in this country, thank GOO
Our forefathers had their lesson during the colonial days when hrng
George forced regiments Of British soldiers upon the colonies. In es-
tsbishing this country, therefore, good care was taken that there
would be no trace Of miitarism. This adherence of everything MIL
tsry has been a characteristic trait of America yer since, and IL
accounts for the small standing army that. we have maintained IN
time of peace and the unpreparedness u n na'ioh heh war sun
denly bursts upon us.
Some re inclined to think that this policy S a mistake and that
we should have a little more martial spirit shown at all times Ana
when war is upon us W e a appreciate what 1t would mean 10 n"'e
a large body of we'll equipped men ready for the emergency.
But after we have been at war a while and get a taste of the die
tatorial powers of the military men we begin to realize that or lore
fathers were wise, after all
Perth Amboy's taste of this mlitarism is coming in the form
Of peremptory orders that the city shall provide water to the govern
ment at the governments own terms, whether the city feels S IN
clined or NOT. AS far IS we have been able to ascertain it is some
officer who is deciding this matter for the government and appar-
emily the civ has nothing to do but obey.
1t is not that Perth Amboy does not want to do everything pos
sible to assist the government. to win the war, for the ciy's patriot
ism is proven by the loyal manner In which 1t oversubscripes ach
Liberty Loan and the patriotic manner in which it gives up even Its
park property for government guns and barracks. We have per
mhted ourselves to be surrounded by a perfect network of muniton
PLANTS living in constant danger of being blown off the map, all be-
cause W e knew that such things had to be- and if the government felt
that this was the hest place to have such plants. we would not offer
NJ objection. Only now that one serious explosion has taken place
we RIGHTLY insist that more precaution be taken to guard against such
.oo;dsr+s in the future. The city has suffered great injury not only
IN hoaltr md nropertv, but in the values of real estate and a certain
loss in business due to peope moving away o refusing to come here
because of the munition plants. All this the city will gladly bear as
its part in helping to win the war. |
The mestion that has now arisen is over the matter of waterl
supply In looking about for sufficient water army engineers decided
that Perth kmboy ha6sne only supply adequate for the purpose. +
But Perth Amboy has a municipal plant and the water rates areI
always kept as low as possible 81 that the people may derive thej
benefit. Now. with the constantly increasing cost of everything, the
water board had determined upon a slight increase in rate from seven
cents a thousand gallons to nine cents. Everyone realized that this
fair and not an objection had been raised until the military men
came along and insisted that the government be served at seven cents
the old rate.
In all the great government activities much care has been taken
to assure those doing work for the government that a profit will be
made. Cost plus ten per cent, profit has been the rule. The ship
builders ae working on that principle; the munition workers are
working on that principle and in some cases there is reason to believe
that the profits re much more than ten per cent. >,
But when the city of Perth Amboy asks merely a rate for water
that is in keeping with the increased cost of everything and which Is
accepted without question by every large customer the city has, the
military men begin to show their authority, and, it seems, the city is
to be ordered to deliver water at seven cents, the old price, regardless
of the fact that every other large consumer is paying nine cents
Should the city be allowed cost plus 10 per cent. profit for water the
rate would probably be a great deal more than nine cents.
But militarism has shown its head and the water board is prac-
tically instructed to hold a special meeting next Wednesday night
when the majesty of the military authority that is running things
at the present time will do the city the honor of waiting upon the OFF,
Gals of the water department and present to them plans and speclh-
cations for furnishing Camp Raritan and the hospital at Colonia with
all the water they care to use at seven cents per thousand feet
OF course, the military men, with the authority of the govern
ment behind them, can do anything they please and they doubtless
will. They will take the water if the city refuses to furnish it. But
we trust that the members of the water board will remember the his
toie traditions of this old place; that it was the capital Of the
province of East Jersey at one time; that the spirit of liberty still
burns deeply in the breasts of the people. and that while there will
be no obstruction placed in the way of the military authority that
comes here to override the municipal authority, the city will not yield
IS to the justice of its position, and that if the water is furnished the
government at the reduced rates it will be over the protest of the city
and in defiance of the claims of Perth Amboy.
1t is often necessary to fight fire with fire, and perhaps the way
to defeat mlliarism is with militarism. But once miltarism is over
thrown in Europe, we must see to it that it does not fasten itself upon
this great republic. With this striking evidence of miitarism before
us, we can appreciate more than ever the horrors of it.