New-York tribune., 1918-05-09
Coiled IN the Flag-Hear-s-s-s-t
A Hoyrid Embrace

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The Tribunc's exposure of the part
Hearst has played since America has been
at war is a work of the highest impor-
tance and of the most dsinterested patriot
ism. The facts which you present, selected
from the pages of the Hearst papers them
selves, are of such a character to make
one wonder why Hearst continues to enjoy
such singular immunity from government
interference.
Immunty-and more than immunity.
For two Cabinet officers, members of the
Administration, ministers of the govern
ment which has pledged itself again and
again to blot the Prussan idea from the
face of the earth, have recently gone out
of their way to give the Hearst outfit
friendly pat on the back In "The New
York Evening Journal" Of this date are
published two kilograms, fulsomely con-
gratulatory in tone, to Mr.. Arthur Bris-
bane. Hearst's right hand man, upon his
accession to the editorship of Hearst's
"Chicago Herald and Examiner" and one
of these messages is from A. S. Burleson,
President Wilson's Postmaster General, and
the other is from Josephus Daniels, Secre-
tary of the Navy.
Attorney General Gregory did not send
Department of Justice.
Cabinet Minister Burlcson says to
Hearst's alter ego:
"From press reports I note that you are
to be the editor of the new Herald and
Examiner and l congratulate the people
of Chicago that they are to have the bene-
fit of your able and unselfsh efforts in fur
therance OF the progress of the city and the
development of the new paper, and l in
dulgc the hope that it will always stand
for justice, freedom and true democratic
government"
Would not think from that epistle
that the Hearst outfit enjoyed the conf
dence and deserved the commendation of
the government, one of whose members and
Cabinet ministers thus publicly puts him
self on record? Does not the message read
as if it were mere verbal variation of
the classic utterance: "Well done, thou
good and faithful servant"? If you read
that a member of Clemenceau's Cabinet
had expressed himself similarly to some
French editor, would you not think that
editor was in accord with the French gov
ernment? What else could you think?
What can our friends in Europe and our
foes in Europe believe, if not that the
Hearst press in America and the Admins
tratlon are on the most intimate terms?
The other member Of the American Cab.
met, in charge of the naval arm of this
country, now at against the murderers
of civilization, writes to Hearst's executive
IN similar vein and to like effect. quote
few lines from Secretary Daniels:
II congratulate you upon the privilege Of
preaching patriotism to the patriotic people
OF the patriotic Middle West The press
Is pulpit of civic Righteousness, and there
never was time when the people were SO
ready to hear the TRUTH follow the right
and make Americanism mean the welfare
of all who toll and all who think. I envy
you your opportunity for this service in
the very centre of the republic in this most
momentous period of the worlds history.
We must now make the world safe
for democracy. . :"
|. Would you not think that Hearst and
Brisbane had been engaged in making the
world safe for democracy? Yet. what thev
have been doing is we'll known that it
needs no recapitulation here.
These letters, coming at Just this time.
seeming as they do to give blanket COM
mendatlon to the Hearst outfit are as cal
culated to startle and stagger and confuse
public opinion as if Clemenceau were to go
and lay wreath upon the tomb of Bolo
or Lloyd George were to appear in the
House of Commons and weep for Roger
Easement
The public is called upon to give its
blood and the blood of its sons to the end
that the living lie which is Kaiserism NAV
be abolished, and the public responds; the
people are asked for every sacrifice, and
they make it with a fine and rare spiritual
exaltatlon They are in the war to the
end, with all they are and all they have.
whether it be for two years or for twenty.
ana they have given the government
plank check to fill out with whatever colos-