Evening star., 1918-05-26
COL. ROOSEVELT CLAIMS HONEST
CRITICISM IS UNFAIRLY TREATED
In Charges Presented to Senate Says Ad-
ministration Condones Anti-American
Agitation in Powerful Papers.

Charges that the administration has
used its powers to stifle honest criti-
cism, while at the same time condon-
ing anti-ally and anti-American agita-
tion in powerful newspapers. were made
by Theodore Roosevelt yesterday In
reply to Postmaster General Burleson
in their controversy over the Post
Of1ce Departments treatment of pub
lications.
The charges were presented to the
Senate by Senator Poindexter of Wash
ington.
Col. Roosevelt declared President
Wilson personally Wa responsible FOR
tn Postmaster Generals attitude. The
Hearst papers. he said. are among those
that have received favored treatment.
Criticises Use of War Powers.
Roosevelt, ''the administration has
used the very great war powers OF
the government over the public press
to stifie ho5e3t criticism of gov
ernment inefficiency or misconduct
while condoning (Which necessarily
means encouraging) pro-German. anti
ally and their anti-Arerican ag1ta-
tion in certain powerful papers which
defended this inefflciency and miscon-
duct; and It has sought from Congress
a great addition to the already exist
ing power it has thus misused. l be-
lieve that the first article of the Con-
stituticn guarantees the right of the
people to criticise truthfully the con-
duct of their public servants. and that
this right cannot be taken away by
any law.
During the past year the action of
the administration. taken largely
through the Post Office Department,
has been such as to render it mat
ter of some danger for any man. and
especially any newspaper, to speak
the truth. If that truth be unpleasant
to the governmental authorities at
Washington. The effect of this atti-
tude has been very marked politically.
Such coercive powers tend to make
upright men, even although they are
strong men. cautious about telling
truths which ought to be told. 1t
forces weak men to praise the admin
istration. whether it does we'll or ILL.,
1t invites unscrupulous men who de-
sire to serve Germany to gain license
to do 50 and to secure advantages by
praising the administration. especial
ly when it acted wrongfully or in
efficiently, and by supporting 1t po-
litically-
Cites Hearst Papers.
There are cases where all COM
petent and honest observers are
morally certain that political support
has been given and is now being
given to the administration hv vari-
Gus newspapers. especially German
American and semi-socialistic news
papers. because 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
,1,f
concerning the Hearst papers. as
compared with the suppression of
Tom Watson's paper and the attack
for nominally wholly different rea-
zine). 1 herein give the facts which
prove exactly what / have alleged.
The Postmaster General has raised
the issue: I meet it squarely; and he
shall not evade it. The administration
has successfully endeavored to pre-
vent expression of opinion hostile to
1t. and to put a premium upon sup
porting the President personally and
politically without regard to whether
his actions are detrimental or bene-
ficial to the country
Col Roosevelt also assailed Chair
man Creel Of the committee on public
Information. and in imputing re-
sponsibility for the acts of the Post
master General and Mr.. Creel said:
Il deal with Mr.. Burleson and his
actions purely because he is a repre-
sentative of President Wilson. exactly
as is Secretary Baker: exactly as is
Mr.. Creei. President Wilson is re-
sponsible for everything Postmaster
General Burleson and Secretary Baker
and Mr.. Creel do or leave undone
l have scant patience with
the timidity or the folly which dares
not hold accountable the source of
power and only ventures to express
disp1easure with Instruments through
which the power is exercised. Messrs
Burieson, Baker, Creei and their as
sociates possess no importance what
ever except that accruing to them be-
cause it is through them that the
President speaks and acts or refuses
or fails to act"
Attack on Mr.. Creel.
In attacking Mr. Creel, Col. Roose-
welt declared he 'assails publications
that truthfully expose shortcomings OF
the administration. and without regard
TO the facts personally and through his
bureau actively upholds the admlnis-
tration in matters such as the aircraft
program. in which have been grave gov
ernmental shortcomings"
Thfs Is partisan political propaga nda
OF the very worst type" the former
President declared, Carried on with
public moneys under the guise OF public
work"
Regarding the Postmaster Generals
eHeged attitude toward the Hearst la
pers. Col. Roosevelt said:
1T is true that since we entered the
war Mr.. Hearst al various times issued
editorials profess ng great patriotic zeal.
but 1t was at the very time when in
other editorials he was attacking the
allies Of America. England and Japa n
IN the most offensive way. and at the
very time when he was unfolding the
Russian bolsheviki who had made Rus-
Sta traitor "a fraa -