The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-20

Continued from First Page)
the muddline few months of last year.
when private management demon
strated it's inability 10 cope with the
nations crisis, and the boosted eff
clancy Of private management was
found IN he a mere iridescent dream.
Volumes have been written in the
past Of the superiority Of private man
aEement The railroad propa gandist
has plastered the whole nation with
demonstrations Of the superiority OF
private efficiency. The question
though. has been decided II In no
longer academic. The pitiIess logic
OF events has determined f. Private
management could not 10 the Job
They Acknowledged defeat and gov
eminent mana cement succeeded. Two
months ago I would have been pre-
pared to meet and 10 meet fully every
argument presented in favor of the
efficiency of private management as
contrasting with the efficiency Of gov
ernmental management. But the
question now Ia no longer debatable"
Course to Pc Pursued.
Near tho close OF his speech the
Westerner asked.
with the experience before you.
with your knowledge Of what private
management mas Ins-AHt ~ tllP past
with your clear perception OF It's pos
sibilities for wrong and for evil, with
the demonstration today of its inabil-
ity to do the big Job. with the doubt
full success Of regulation alike pro-
claimed by railroads and regulators,
why hesitate In the inevitable course,
the course which, despite you and me.
will neV ertheless be the course pur-
sued ?"
During his speech the Californian
said he was delighted" at the presi-
dental expression that there should
be no more secret diplomacy. He
said
THE policy is one OF necessity.
which applies not only TO diplomatic
relations with a foreign power, but
with even greater force TO what trans
pires within our own borders. I ad-
vert briefly to the subject because L
deprecate the undemocrstic and un-
American suppression and repression
which characterized the first months
OF our entrance into the war. and
which yet obtains in some circles Last
year the slightest difference of opin-
ion. earnestly and periodically ex-
pressed, and even an embarrassing
inquiry. were met with the epithets
'disloyar and 'pro-German.'
Talks on War Critics.
NO man. OF course, is entitled I'M
justly to crftiCise nor to indulge in
unhridled license of expression The
real test OF criticism is whether II Is
just or unjust II consciously unjust.
It should subject him who utters ii
to the contempt Of all, II tust, it
vindicates itself
The various recent Investigations
have been of incaleulabIe benefit.
~. Il
deficiencies. but they have performed
the fundamental service of finally per-
mitting a modicum of free expression.
will not refer TO the Investigations
OF the military committee, OF which
you have heard so much, and con-
corning which you are we'll able to
Judge I happen to be a member of
the commerce committee. which con-
scfentiously has been engaged in the
endeavor, by investigation, to aid In
tho shipping problems of the nation
TN one of the contracts entered
into by the government-that with
the American International company
"A state OF affairs beggaring descrip-
ton has been developed. The evil
dence demonstrates a wild saturnalia
of extravagance, a brilliant phantas-
OF patriotic pretense, And
the pity and the shame OF II are that
those who. with cheerful and almost
studied disregard for every principle
OF economy. are wasting the money of
taxpayers are some of the great cap
tains of industry of the nation.
May the day have gone forever
when an American citizen shall be
precluded by fear of denunciation and
the eptthet of 'disloyaity' from ex-
pressing his honest and his patriotic
sentiments"