Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-07
AN HERCULEAN TASK

Tho arranpinp Of the affairs of nation of an hundred
millions of people, causing as it does drastic changes III
the manner of conducting business, changing or casg
aside many of the theories which our form OF Govern
ment is based changes great as IS the nerehce oe
tween democracy and socialism, is task Of herculean
nroportions A hundred million people who nave nVeo
as thew pleased and practically without government re-
straint in any form are suddenly required to give up
their boasted liberty and for the good or all suot 70
thnos undreamed Of and which under war conditions
alone could be enforced r..
The un-American system Of raising army by draft
was submitted to without murmur and after brlet dis
ussion was accented as the fairest way in which the
troops necessary for carrying on the war coulo DC
secured
hundred million people accustomed to doing about
as they pleased suddenly asked to go without meat
one day in the week to shortage and to assist
our allies Then they were asked to make WheatesS
day" and on top of this "a heatless one. They were
asked to substitute something for the foods they were
accustomed to and all these things were cceded to cheer
fully and promptly, and may be said almost universally
The people generally showed commendable patriotism
and whatever has been asked of them has been granted
and this regardless of station or class
At the same time there is another phase to it that is
not SO bright looking and that the evident attempt by
many to exploit the country and take advantage Oh s
needs The civil war taken advantage of the same
Way only perhaps much larger scale propoftona'ly
The investigation being held in Washington concern
ing the letting OF contracts for war supplies ana especial
y for clothing for the soldiers has disclosed some things
that do not look we'll The Council of National Defense
according to the testimony let contracts amounting to
$500 100000 through one committee 1t was dlScOSed
that MANY of the contracts let to firms in which
members of the council and of the committee were inter-
ested One of this committee testified that 30 per cent
of the wool used in making clothing for the soldiers was
eliminated and shoddy substituted and that the clothing
was "made better thereby" This same member stated
that in such cases the member interested in the firm
did not take part in letting the contracts That IS
flmsy defense of a bad business proposition.
Another thing that looks bad the face of it is the
failure Of the food administration to fix prices on some
of the substitutes for wheat and meat that it recon-
mended
It may be that these things all right and done with
the best intent but the fact remains that it is
saly to avoid the appearance of evil avoid the evil
itself especially in dealings in which the whole country
is interested.
That some crookedness is bound to occur in many
and such vast transactions is certainty for the
that all men are not above temptation and all that can
be done is to guard the countrys business closely
possible.
Perhaps in a short time when things get to running
smoothly most of the graft will be eliminated and those
who have profted by the countrys necessities will be
punished as they deserve.
What is necessary is for the whole people to re-
main calm and not to believe evil until that evil is made
certain We must have faith in officials, faith in
those whose shoulders rests the purchasing of sup
plies and taking of all things necessary to the Win
ming of the That there will be of crookedness
is certain that constituencies persons will seek to
profit by the even at the expense of the boys in the
trenches is equally certain but that the great of
those whom must rely is honest and patriotic we
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