New-York tribune., 1918-06-19
Letter
Repudiated by
Security Body
Continued from page l

Mr.. Menken says, was simply state
ment given to a Hearst reporter-a
statement written rather than spoken,
because its author feared he might be
mlsQuOCeQ.
lhis whole statement, intended as
the statement of private individual,
but camouflaged in publication as AN
extract from letter written by S.
Stanwood Menken, president OF the
National Security League" was print
ed in the local Hearst papers as fol-
lows:
while | am unalterably opposed to
American and its method of approach
to many internal questions. l 1eel that
in view of the attack by certain Sc
curity League speakers, of whom there
are several thousands, it is but fair to
state-that while every speaker is free
OF any attempt on our part to control
his vlews-that the facts as to "The
Americans" position on preparedness
are:
Il. That from the organization of
the league "The American" has sup
ported every sound preparedness meas
ure des lgned to strength our armed
forces on sea and land. The League
has republished many of its cartoons
and editorials.
"2. The American has been as con-
sistent and vigorous an advocate Of
universal training and service as any
paper l know of.
"Mr Hearst and the members of his
! staff and family have contributed to the
league from the beginning.
"My opposition 20 many of the ar
ticles l read in The American on So
cial reform is not to the objective as
much as to the method of appeal.
feel that inequalities in life can be ad-
justed without creating class hatred
by recourse to the common sense of our
people, rather than their prejudHes--
building except through understand
ing;
eve are coming to time when class
difference will be emphasized and of
necessity adjusted. The American has
clientele which is an important and
intelligent factor in the situation, and
the editors have very grave RESPONSE
bility to the future Of the Republic.
ri am, l believe, sincere advocate
of social reform. ] am opposed to So
cialism.
Gone means increased happiness to
the people, the other Bolshevikism. un-
rest and the destruction of constitu-
tional government. think the apita-
tion against Mr.. Hearst's papers is due
not to any question of his personal
loyalty, or interest in preparedness, or
the danger of this country from attack.
but to difference Of view of method as
to treatment of public questions and
influence on readers Of radical ten
denotes.
rs. STANWOOD MENKEN."
"The American" printed the state
ment twice--once in type and once in
facsimile--and "The Evening Journal
did the same. Each paper devoted an
entire page to the alleged letter, and
to communication from Mr.. Hearst
blandly termed a reply to it.
II have read your communication To
the editor Of The American with much
interest. and | think you have made
In all essentials very accurate esti-
mate of the situation"
Thus began the Hearst "reply," i'm
mediately running along with q trib.
ute to Mr.. Menken's Vigorous Eng
lish."
1 Items No. and No. z OF the Menken
statement. were then appreciatively
quoted. whereafter the last paragraph
written by Mr.. Menken was jerked to
the fore, the publisher commenting:
I II agree with you that the agita.