The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1918-12-27
CARDINAL GIBBONS ASSERTS
SOCIALISM NO MtNACEIN U.S.A
Opposes Federal Control of Railroads
and Telegraph Lines-Points
Out Danger

Gibbons on Christmas day to repre-
sentatives of the press in Baltimore
ig so patriotic and sound that we think
it will bear reprinting, and are doubly
sure it will bear reading and ponder
ing by all who believe in law, order
and good government.
Cadinal Gibbons, in statement
made this week, said that he had no
fear that socialism would become an
issue to be dreaded in the period of re-
construction and that the good sense
of the American working people would
check any social upheaval. He said
in part:
eve ought to rejoice particularly on
this Christmas occasion because it is
the first Christmas festival in five
years that we have had the happiness
TO celebrate in the midst of universal
peace, either actually attained or
dawning upon us.
"And I think too, that the example
of energy we set in the prosecution of
the war is matter for rejoicing, for
it has shown the world the capacity of
America and Americans.
81 earnestly hope that this peace has
come to stay, that we will know no
more of war, and that in our day, and
fol all future generations disputes be-
tween peoples will be settled not by
the sword, but by the voice and pen of
conciliation, which are mightier than
the sword.
GAS for the outcome of the negotia-
tions now about to begin in Paris, it
is hard to express an opinion. We can
only hope that they will be directed
by wisdom and justice and that sell
fishness may be subordinated. Nations
are like men--they are selfish and
they oftentimes let their own intr-
ests blind them to the rights of others
and to demands of fair dealing, but
we may hope that in the light of what
we hope is the dawning of a better
day for all humanity, wise counsel and
justice and fair dealing may prevail
over the interests of individual nations
and that the peace negotiations may
be ended at an early date.
81 feel no anxiety with regard to the
future of our own country. Much con
Germ seems to be felt about the labor
situation thruout the country, and
there are fears as to the outcome of
the readjustment period. I am sure
the working people of the country are
men of intelligence and common sense,
they know full well that their con-
dition here is better than men in SINH
lar stations elsewhere in the world,
and that the disposition of those who
employ them is to treat them justly
and generously. They know these
things and they know too, that any
social upheaval would bear more
heavily upon them than upon any
other class and would hurt them more
than it would hurt any other class.
"As for the spread of socialism IN
America, which some dread, l feel no
apprehension whatever, and feel that
there is no reason for apprehension.
No man or set of men can raise a
storm in this country without some
zeal grievances, and every socialist in
the land, down in his heart knows
there is no actual grievances about
which he can justly complain, certain
ly no grievance that would warrant
the overturning of the social structure
and the ruin, industrially and of every
other sort that would ensue.
"Fears as to the labor situation,
fears about the spread of socialism
and kindred doctrines do not trouble
me. The only apprehension that I
might have would be with regard to
the consolidation of control of the
great public interests of the country in
the authorities of the government it.
self.
These interests are vast and wide
reaching, and control the we'll being of
millions of men, such interests as the
railroads and the telegraphs as well
as others, l should be sorry to see
these things put under he direction of
any federal administration. The men
employed in these industries and utili-
ties would form the preponderating in
terests in any administration and
would end in a perpetuation of power
l believe in a division of power and
think it best for the country. l should
be sorry to see any invasion by the
administrative department of the gov
crnment upon the rights of he other
departments. The builders of our
government provided for government
of check and balances, a government
in which the executive, the legislative
and the judicial departments were kept
separate and distinct, and each depart