The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-19
Permanent Ownership Rather
Than War Time Control.
California Senator Opposes
Paying Maximum Profits.
DEFENDS PUBLICITY EXPOSE
People Entitled To Know Con-
ditions, Right or Wrong.
"DislOyalty and Incompetence
Can't Thrive in the Light"

Washington, Feb. 19.-Permanent
government ownership of railroads,
rather than government control for
the period of the war, was advocated
by Senator johnson of California to-
day in a speech opposing the senate
draft of the Administrations railroad
bill.
Il would now take the inevitable
next step in government control of our
railroads." Senator Johnson declared,
''and do whatever might be essential
to make that government control per-
manent government ownership or at
least leave the way open SO that imme-
diately upon the termination of the
war we might follow to its logical con-
clusion what already we have partly
dore."
The California senator protested Wig
orously at the proposed rate of com
pensatio1. to be paid the railroads un-
der the provisions of the bill and also
opposed the senate's plan to turn the
roads back to private management
eighteen months after the conclusion
of peace.
Approves Wilson Publicity Policy.
Senator Johnson digressed from his
discussion of the railroad legislation
to express his approval of Mr.. Wilson's
recent stand against secret diplomacy
and the presidents policy of address,
ing congress from time to time in the
open forum of the world"
Il advert to this subject" the sem
ator said, because 1 deprecate the
undemocratic and un-American sup
preston and repression which char
acterized the first months of our en-
trance into the war and which yet
obtains in some circles.
The idea last year seemed preya-
lent and to find sanction with various
individuals and in a large part of the
press, that absolute Silence and SUBJ
mission without complaints for any
deficiency or injustice were the only
measure of loyalty If any individual
with highest motive, sought to Law
bare a wrong, forthwith he was
charged with lending aid and comfort
to the enemy.
L Will not subscribe to any doctrine
tnat either In peace or in war legiti-
mate, honest and conscientious sug-
gestion or criticism may not be in
dulged. This government yet belongs
to all its people and they are entitled
to know not only how, automatically
the government deals with the nations
of the earth, but to know as well that
which concerns the internal policies
which yet control the republic situated
within the boundaries of the United
States and beyond this they are en-
titled to know what intimately con-
Germs their property and their lives.
Official Secrecy Vicious
''Disloyalty and treason cannot
thrive in the light. Neither can i'm
competence, the strong ally of failure
Official suppression and concea1ment
are as vicious as the secret diplomacy
and private bargaining which Presi-
dent Wilson so justly condemns. The
p1>etense that the people cannot be
told the truth is the artifice of incom-
petent men who are afraid to face the
| test of public security. No man. of
course, is entitled unjustly to criticise,
nor to indulge in unfavorable license
of expression. The real test of criti-
ciSm is whether it is just or unjust if
consciously unjust it should subject
him who utters it to the contempt of
all. If just, it vindicates itself. When
the time comes that members of con-
gress, the supposedly popular branch
utteranceS designed to render patri-
otic service, because those utterances
are at variance with the views of
| either official or majority, the end has
come to our democracy and the con-
gress no longer performs a useful
service to the people,
| In this connection Senator johnson
referred to the work of the senate
| commerce committee of which he is a
| member and it's investigation of the
shipping situation. Referring to the
| Hog Island, Penn, inquiry, he as
serted:
"In ore of the contracts entered
| into by the government-that with the
American International company
state of affairs beggaring description
| has developed. The evidence demon
| strates wild saturnalia of extrava-
gance, n brilliant phantaSmagoria of
| patriotic pretense- And the pity and
/ the shame of it are that those who
with a cheerful and almost studied
/ disregard for every principle of econ
| Continued Page Twol