Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-07-31
SENATOR REED ON PARTY PAT
RIOTS.

Will it be from the national capital
the death blow will be dealt efforts to
capitalize patriotism for partisan pur-
poses? Observers here are beginning
to see break in what might be called
the consumption Of intellect The hys-
terra that shouted "disloyalty" at any
one who differed in opinion from the
shouter had reached even to the con-
gress Of the United States. In a
speech in the senate July II Senator
Reed OF Missouri flayed this practice
and admonished his colleagues against
denying the right Of free speech to
senators who might differ from the
majority. He said:
1--WE ought to quit scolding each
other because we venture to have an
opinion. 1t is our business to have
opinions, and we ought to quit chal-
longing the good faith of members OF
this body.
'Mr. President, l have never
read in history story OF such
loyalty as is manifested through
out this entire land. l believe il
we could do what the Almighty
can dO-open the heart OF every
man and every woman in this
country-we should see there the
story of a deathless love Of coun-
try such as has never been en-
| craven upon the hearts OF any
| other people.
There are few people who ma!
be disloyal; there are few criminals
born every day; there is a certain per
centage OF criminals born on this eartl
in every country and cline, just a.
there is certain percentage Of tn
deformed and Of the insane; but Their
is not as great percentage OF dis
loyalty in the United States today, il
my judgment, as there is Of insanity
Look at the picture. We prCmu
gate a law under which every boy 0
every man between Il and 81 mus
leave his home at whatever sacrifice
They have left their homes; and 20
can count almost upon the fingers Q
your hand the numbers OF those VIII
resisted the draft. Four and hal
million of them are in camps or ar
on their way to camps, and nearl
100000 more have voluntarily Jolne
the navy OF the United States. ! hav
visited some of these camps; hav
heard the soldiers discuss their hare
ships with laughter on their lips; the
jeer and laugh over their difficulties
they make light Of them; and upon tn
tongue OF every man l have talke
| with there has been one eXpresslo
} the desire that the order fcrwar
to France shall soon come, that h
may be permitted to do his duty.
YET YOU CONSTANTLY FIN
A LOT OF CHEAP FELLOWS TRY
ING TO PROVE THAT THEY AR
LOYAL BY DENOUNCING EVERY
BODY ELSE. l have heard senator
of the United States denounced fo
their disloyalty who, with tears i
' their eyes, have put their arms abou
their first born and said, 1T is you
duty to enlist and follow the flag.
| have heard great newspaper men a.
cused of disloyalty who have give
: millions of their money to the coul
trys cause. These evil stories are n
ported from lip to lip and from tongu
to tongue, until at last they reach II
side the German lines, and when the
get there the Germans are convince
that we have riot and blcodshed an
, disloyalty and that the government
( about to be overthrswn. We are rea'
/ ing some stories from there now ths
may be similarly exaggerated; hop
7 they are not.
III l could write certificate to sen
f to the kaiser of Germany, l Woul
t write this: There are 104 100000
people in the United States; they al
not Republicans; they are not DEM
} Gratis; they are patriots, willing
spend their last dollar and to drai
their veins dry in the cause OF the
f country, and, until you have crushe
t that indomitable spirit that thrills
, their souls, and until you have d
stroyed all of their men, you can NJ
succeed. Long before that hour ca
f come your throne will totter, yol
, scepter will be broken, the blood
, sword will fall from your palsied han
, and your own enslaved people wi
T rise to, bless the flag that bears tn
emblem of America, for it will also
t to them the emblem of liberty"