The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-02-21

Rich men and poor men alike have
for this war. Rich men
and poor men alike have been drafted.
Rich men and poor men in the ranks,
whether working previously for a
packer for $2.75 day, or drawing
salary of $1,000 a week, have gone to
the front for $50 a month. The sacri-
flee involved is so much greater than
anything material that no comparison
is possible.
Now, in case of necessity it would
be quite proper for the nation to con-
fiscate every bit of property in it's
borders. But this has not been done.
because it has been realized that the
task of conscious superintendency
would involve such immense man
agerial machinery that the whole gov
eminent would break down under the
load. Since ordinary competitive con-
ditions were abolished by the abnor-
NAL interference with trade resulting
from the war, great system of regu-
lation has sprung up for normally
competitive business and a tendency
HAS DctH ollOMn tOW dAd bhC teiNAh6
over of such natural monopolies as
railroads; a discrimination based on
sound and quite orthodox economics.
In dealing with all men in a business
way an effort has been made to grant
them compensation in some way APP
proximating the sacrifices that they
have been called upon to make. This
has been big job and mistakes were
inevitable. Returning to Hiram: The
son of a prosperous farmer has volun-
teered and gone to war, getting $50
month Is his father less patriotic
than he because of seeking to get
a raise in the minimum price of wheat
when he feels that it is not in pro-
portion to other crops in Hiram's opin-
ion? The son of a laborer in a COM
Wandered industry is taken by selec-
tive dragt and gets $50 a month. Sup
pose this father should ask a raise in
wages for his own work because of
increased cost of living. would the
pyrotechnic senator strike an attitude
and say Sir, your request is an in
suit to the brave boys in the trenches
who are working for $50 a month ;
your boy was called and given stip-
ulated sum and not even asked if he
would be satisfied Hiram would
not reply in this way while the labor
unions in Frisco were capable of poll
ing a big vote He might discuss the
validity of the claims in both cases.
we doubt it, but he might, but he
would not hand out the mess of bosh.
boncombe and "bull-con" that he did
in the senate Tuesday.
The criticism of the past corrupt
ing influence of railroads in politics
is legitimate in one way and for one
purpose-to show that a natural mo-
nopoly is necessarily always in poll
tics. If not on the aggressive, as it
usually is, then it is on the defensive
against raiders and demagogues. This
is the strongest argument for govern
ment ownership. Since employees in
such concerns as quasi-public offic-
ials anyhow, they are in one way or
another in politics, too. To attack the
railroads just to get people to hate
] the men WHO run lu6lll Is uCllucI ldli
nor enlightening. The question of
road compensation today is a question
of fact. If the roads are getting too
much the facts should be presented
by somebody who knows without
clouding the issue. We are quite GER
tain they are getting all that they can
If they have been able to put one
over" they have probably done so
The thing ought to be investigated
fairly by congress before laws are
passed on the subject. Maybe il
Hiram had the facts, and all the facts
told for him. he would not have rant
ed so much. Anyhow. only facts
count.
Since, at no point in his speech die
he indicate any belief that any criti-
cism of war management was unfair
incorrect or overdrawn. we are forced
TO assume that he endorsed all the
mean things that were said, though
proven unjust His camouflage aboui
somebody being opposed to telling the
people "the truth" is evidently alb
surd when the context shows that he
has found no criticism which in his
view was not "the truth" when "agir
the government"