Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-07
NOT WAC|NC WAR
TO AID wealth
United States Instead Is Helping
Workers BY Governmental
Control Says erik.

That the United States is not wag-
ing a rich mans war is best shown
bY the fact that the government Is
adopting the principle of public con-
troll Of railroads, fuel and food for the
advantage of the workers" was the
statement which Charles Grilk, DAY.
export, made in an address yesterday
afternoon at the Moline Y. NJ. c. A.
Mr.. Grilk substituted for Francis Neil
son, who was unable to appear be-
cause Of an operation. ,
Five years ago, if a man had
dared advocate such reforms. he
would have been thrown from this
PLATFORM" continued the speaker. I'VE
are witnessing a revolution every day
nthe economic world. Food is in the
hands of a government administrator
and the government is ready to fix the
price ON any commodity. The people
of the United States will never go
, back to private control OF railroads,
fuel and food if governmental control
, proves successful. Food control is
working well. The middleman's ex-
cessive profits have been practically
eliminated and the price OF coal, sugar
and other commodities have been kept
t from going to unreasonable figures. II
governmental control works in war
times why won't it work in peace
| times?"
American soldiers, he said, are get
ting ready to die for those of US who
stay at home and we owe it to them to
live a life that will make them feel
that they are not dying in vain. THE
man in uniform" he declared, lis
ready to give up all hope of success,
of future enjoyment in this world, all
ambitions. everything, in order that
we may live free lives, unfettered by
the dangers of German autocracy and
Prussian domination.
"The sacrifice that our soldiers are
getting ready to make will be worth
while of we lead the most heroic. the
cleanest, most 'unselfish and mos
COURAGEOUS life that can possibly bt
I, lived. We must live on such a plane
of heroic manhood that the men wht
, die for you will go with smile"
The war, according to the Daven
, port attorney, is a terrible catas
trophe, but it also has its silver lin
, ing. Among the beneficial effects h
mentioned was the new awakening t
. religious life. THE war;" he said
q sis going to bring US spiritual peac
and bring us back to God" 1t is ais
bringing a greater sense Of friendli
ness and tolerance among nations
England, our traditional enemy,
o today our friend. And we still hav
n hope for Russia. We have a large
# conception of what governmeI
# means, therefore We must look wit
@ sympathy upon Russia.
II Nations are beginning to stand tt
g gether politically and there is vlslo
l. of international unity in the horizo
o If nations will stand together aftt
W this war then, politically, this VIZ
s. will have been worth while.
es "The men who are now in tralnlr
h camps and those who are preparin
1t to 20 are preparing to save us fro
,e the worst kind of slavery that ma
n ever farced on earth. At the end
g. the Franco-Prussian war German
ct demanded an indemnity that it toe
re France 20 years to pay. IT German
if wins this war we will have to give I
ID 10 years of our earnings to pay wn
ut Germany has spent in the war"
g. Mr.. erik declared America WI
ct because the American soldiers a
W fighting in the right cause and are
IS the war for no selfish reasons.