New-York tribune., 1918-05-26

with reference to the editorial signed
by Colonel Roosevelt, which appeared
in this mornings paper:
Ex President Roosevelt, in the
newspapers this morning, made the
following statement:
'"During the Lash year the Admin
istration has shown itself anxious to
punish the newspapers which upheld
the war, but which told the truth
about the Administration failure to
conduct the war efficiently; whereas
it has failed to proceed against vari-
Gus powerful newspapers which op-
posed the war or attacked our allies
or directly or indirectly aided Ger
many against this country, as those
papers upheld the Administration
and defended the inefliciency."
"'This statement, taken in connec-
tion with other published statements
of Mr.. Roosevelt, is manifestly aimed
at the administration of the postal
service. 1t is either true or false
If true, I am utterly unworthy of
trust and should be scourged from
office in disgrace. If false. right
thinking men and women will form
their own opinion of the man who
uttered it. It's truth or falsity is
easily demonstrable. | invite Mr..
Roosevelt to name the papers or
magazines which have upheld the
war, but which told the truth about
the Administration failure to con-
duct the war efficiently" which have
been punished" by the Postotfice
to name the newspapers or maga-
zines, powerful or otherwise. (which
have opposed the war and attacked
our allies or directly or indirectly
aided Germany against this country"
in such manner as to violate the law
which have not been proceeded
against by this department.
"'Failure on the part of Mr.. Roose
velt to respond is to admit his in
ability to do So
CAS- this was issued officially by the
Postmaster General. I desire that a
permanent record shall be made of my
answer and of the facts that led up to
my statement to which the Postmaster
General took exception, and which
caused him to issue his challenge to
me to prove my statement. | therefore
wish to put these facts before you in
full.
II insert as appendices to this letter
the editorial in THE Metropolitan Mag
azine,' in the issue which the New York
postoffice attempted to suppress, this
editorial being entitled Put the Blame
Where it Belongs and my article in
The Metropolitan on Lincoln and Free
Speech together with the 'Metropoli-
tan statement as to it's war record
(page 6, May 'MetropolitanD.
Il deal with Mr.. Burleson and his
actions purely because he is the repre-
sentative of President Wilson, exactly
as is Secretary Baker, exactly as is Mr..
II |, Ia
for everything that Postmaster General
Burleson and Secretary Baker and Mr..
Creel do, or leave undone. Nothing
that any one of these gentlemen says,
nothing that any one of them does, and
nothing that any one of them leaves
undone. is of the slightest Importance,
except because he is President Wilson s
representative, appointed by President
Wilson to a position of high govern
mental Importance in great crisis
and serving as the medium through
which President Wilson carries out his
policies affecting this country. This is.
of course, equally true of all of Presi-
dent Wilson's other appointees.
Il have scant patience with the ii.
midity or the folly which dares not
hold accountable the source of power
and only ventures to express displeas-
ure with the instrument through which
the power is exercised. Messrs. Burle-
son. Baker, Creel and their associates
possess no Importance whatever. ex-
cept that accruing to them because it
is through them that the President
speaks and acts or refuses or fails tc
act. AS the above article shows. l was
not speaking of Mr.. Burleson in par
ticular. but of the Administration. OF
which he is part; of the President
whose servant he is.
"The reasons for my comment in
The Kansas City Star and for my pre-.
vious article in The Metropolitan Mag.
azine' is that since the war began the
Administration has used the very great
war powers Of the government over the
public press to stife honest criticism
OF governmental inefficiency or mis-
conduct. while condoning (Which nee
essarily means encouraging pro- Ger
mans, anti-Ally and therefore anti
American agitation in certain power
full papers which defended this ineffi
cheney and misconduct: and it has
sought from Congress great addition
to the already existing power it ha;
thus miSuSed