The Washington times., 1918-05-25

stitution guarantees the right Of tho
people to criticise truthfully the con-
duct OF their public servants, ana
that this right cannot be taken away
by any law. But the average man
Is naturally and properly afraid to
challenge a law that Is backed By
the whole power OF the United States,
even although II may be his belief
that ultimately the law will be held
unconstitutional"
Servants Of Public.
Mr.. Roosevelt said Governmental
officers, from President down. are
servants OF the people, not the rulers
and this Is the fundamental diRsFenoa
between autocracy and democracy.
The Hohenzollsrns are the rulers
OF Germany and the Germans are the
subjects OF the Hohsnzollerns, not
their fellow citizens On the contrary
our Presidents are not the rulers Of
the American people, but the servants
Of the American people, and the rest
OF the people are their fellow eiti-
Esns."
"Our duty is to stand BY the eoun-
try. II IL our duty to stand BY the
President, as by every other Official
just as long as he stands by the coun-
II - no AEsa our uQNI 10 0HHAUA
him whenever and to the extent that
he does not stand BY the country. II
we fail to oppose him under such
conditions, we are guilty OF moral
treason to the country.
Duty to Tell Truth.
The President and our other pub
lio officials are subject to the laws
Just like the rest OF US. II is an in
fanny untruthfuIy to assan cur public
servants. or anyone else: but Il Is our
duty to tell the truth about our pub
lie servants, whether the truth be
pleasan or unpleasant. The higher
he public servant and the more i'm
portant his task the more careful we
should be to speak only the truth
about him, and the more necessary Il
is that we should tell the full truth
about him.
During the past year the action
OF the Administration, taken largely
through the Postofics Department,
has been such as to render It a mat
ter OF sSme danger for any man, and
especially any newspaper to speak
the truth, II that truth be unpleasant
tc the governmental" authorities Gt
Warrington
THE effect OF this attitude has been
very marked politically. Such eosr-
Give power tends to make upFiEhe
men, even although they are strong
men, cautious about telling truths
which ought TO be told It forces
weak men to praise the Administra-
ton, whether IL does well or III. It
invites unscrupulOus men who desire
to serve Germany to gain license 70
do so, and TO secure advantage by
praising the Adm 'nistratiOn. esDecial-
ly when II has acted wrongfully or
ineficiently and by supporting II
politically.
Support OF Admlnistrati0n.
There are cases where all eomps-
tent and honest observers are morally
certain that political support has
been given and Is now being given to
the Administration by various naWB-
papers, especially German-American
and semi-Socialistie newspapers, be-
cause of the club thus held over them
by the Administration.
From the very nature OF the case
there can rarely be positive proof In
such cases, but as regards the most
striking cases OF fayoritism, those
concerning the Hearst papers, as COM
pared with the suppression Of Tom
Watson's paper. and the attacks. for
the Metropolitan.
II herein give the facts which
prove exactly what I have alleged
The Postmaster General has raised
the issue. will meet him squarsiy.
and he shall not evads It The Ad-
ministration has successfully en-
deavored to prevent expression OF
opinion hostile to II and to put .
premiu mupon supporting the Prest-
dent personally and politically, with
out regard to whether his actions
are detrimental or beneficial 70 the
Turns to Creel.
In attacking Mr.. Creel, Colonel
Roosevelt said:
'CreeI assails the publications that
truthfully expose the shortcomings %
the Administration, and without re-
gard to the facts, personally and
his bureau, actively upholds
the Administration as regards those
matters such as the aircraft pro-
gram, in which there have been grave
shortcomings"
Regarding BurlesOn's comparison Of
Hearst and Roosevelt, T. R. wrote:
Mr.. Burleson has stated he received
more complaints about my writings than
about those OF Mr.. Hearst In view OF
Mr.. Burleson's record and actions. there
Is small cause for wonder In this. Every
pro- German and anti-Ameican, every
believer In feeble American war and
l triumphant German peace, every man
who follows Mr.. Hearst. would naturally