Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-22

too. Possibly he wanted to see vheth.
or ne could stir up real sensation
Whatever the reason for the story
only the fact that it was frankly label
cd fiction saved his reputation for reli
ability and truthfulness among his fel
low laborers in the fraternity OF iour
nalism.
In recent issue Of the Post he
comes through with an article that r.
typically Blythe production. 1t is
founded on facts. written In his force
full style and tells the truth In that in.
terest1ng manner which the author
failed to carry with him into the field
of fiction.
It deals with those same money
kings whom he pilloried in the other
story. But this time he passes out
TACT This Is one of his paragraphs.
1t is the mere truth to say that
we could not fight this war a min
ute If the men with money in the
United States refused to loan that
money to the government. We new
er could have begun it, to say moth
ing of continuing it as far as we
have contiued it and forcing it to
successful issue as we shall force
it. No system Of taxation that
could be devised would have
secured enough money for the war.
or tenth Of enough money for the
war. No system of levy that could
have been put in operation, save
conffscation, could do this. Taxa
ton can proceed only to a certain
point. COnfiscation would do no
good, for confiscation would para
lyze every productive source. This
war must be conducted on the
basis of faith and loans-credit
from the men who have credit to
give. and the resources to make
that credit Of value. You may tax
man for all he has, but If you do
that you cannot repeat. Loans are
the basis Of all warlike operations,
and naturally loans must be
sought where there Is something
to loan
Mr.. B1ythe's fact article was inspir-
cd by Champ Clark's senseless charge,
which was withdrawn soon after it
was uttered, that "a ring of Wall
street financiers'' was hampering the
government in its second Liberty Loan
endeavoring to make it q
partial failure, so the next loan would
bear higher rate Of interest.
Later" Mr.. Blythe continues, "Mr.
Clark withdrew his accusation. But
that isn't the point. The point is that
he said it at all. and the further point
Is that when he did say it he gave
voice not only to a sentiment that I'M
doubtedly was prevalent throughout
the country. but to sentiment that
has been prevalent for a long time,
v hich is that the rich men of the coun-
try are lacking in patriotism and con-
cerned only in the accumulation OF
money by whatever means, and gen.
orally to the detriment of the people"
There Is much more to the same ef-
feet, for which there is not room here.
Suffice to say that Mr.. Blythe makes
out strong case for the rich men Of
America. shows that they are doing
their patriotic duty and wakes indig-
nant over Speaker Clark's hasty and
baseless charge.
''The point" to follow Mr. B1ythe's
diction little way, is that he himself
Is responsible to certain extent for
the sentiment which undoubtedly was
prevalent throughout the country" He
and his ill-starred fiction helped to fan
that sentiment, just as the orators at
the socialist meeting last Fourth of
July in Ottumwa helped. This meet
Ing, it will be remembered, was the
one at which Commissioner Menefee
was one TO the attractions and red
lag was another.
The difference between Mr.. Blythe
and the socialists is that Mr.. Blythe
knew he was romancing while the So
cialists merely were parroting, in a
sort OF ignorant innocence, the things
they had read in their disloyal tracts.
The effect is the same. Both helped
70 prepare a segment OF the public
mind to believe the utterly baseless
charge which Speaker Clark made.
These facts are not rehearsed here
% strengthen Mr. Blythe's defense OF
he men Mr.. Clark assailed, but to call
attention to condition which 1t IL
we'll to consider in America just at
his time. Each American citizens
oyalty is put to the test now. Patriot
SIN is not peculiar to the rich nor the
poor nor the middle class. Neither is
Each group has both
traits. 1t is not the possession Of
money that makes for treason nor any
other sort Of dishonesty; neither is it
poverty. 1t is each individuals per-
;onal conscience and consciousness.
This, therefore, is good time for US
20 revise some of the twisted stand
ards Of morals that have been fostered
BY Blythe's fiction, by La Follette's
awnings, by socialistic clap-trap and
BY the envious politician who seeks to
build himself up by tearing others
Town.
Loyalty is the proper test Of Ameri-
IAN citizenship today. Before that test