Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-04-09

menace and the actual power OF a vasi
military establishment controlled by ar
irresponsible government, which, having
secretly planned to dominate the world
proceeded to carry out the plan without
regard either to the sacred obligation
Of treaty or the long established prac.
tices and long cherished principles Of In
ternational action ard honor; This
power Is not the German people. 1t Il
pie. 1t is our business to see t.
It that the history of the rest of the
world Is no longer left to its handllng.'
President Wilson, August 27, 1917.
TRAITORS TO OUR DEMOCRACY
The general definition Of a traitor
is one "who gives aid and comfort tC
the enemy" This is usually applied
to direct action, as in the Oklahoma
movement in opposition to the draft
or the encouragement of draft eva
sions, or when an American citizen re
veals Il war plans to Germany.
Such acts constitute direct treason
but there is a kind Of indirect treason
much harder to define and combat, YET
often far more dangerous to our ooun
direct treason. Before the war there
were in this country many social
political, or humanitarian movements
on foot, all of which were radical
Chat is to say, advocates of chGnge)
in their programs. Such, for example
were the Socialists, the Land Tax re
formers, the Pacifists. But all Of
these asserted faith in the democratic
principle in government and wished tc
gain their ends by converting ou1
democracy. Most Of the adherents
of these various movements have rec
ognized that this democracy of ours
having entered upon war, must BIT
supported-that special programs
must, for the moment, be subordinated
to the one great object of sot'ltinJ The
Wdr. But there are some persons sc
predetermined or so incapable Of grasp
ing the world Importance of this war
that they talk and write things cal
culated to weaken our efficiency in
war. These people are traitors 10 ON
democracy.
The whole matter is summed up by
the Single Tax Journal of California
(EverymGit, November, 1910: "Wil
sons business now is to win the war
and win it soon. The radical
press should stop knocking him and
attend to its own business-which is
to create the democracy that the Allies
are to make the world safe for. Tc
fight war, after it is on, is bootless
To hinder its quick, effective prosecu
ton Is, OF course, trditorouS."
But there are other methods than
radical speech which a "hinder the
quick, effective prosecution of the
war;" Labor organizations, long en-,
gagged In a struggle for better labor
conditions, may see in the existence
war an opportunity to secure their
mands. If such demands are unu
and if they would have been unjr
fed had there been no war-if la
seeks to take special advantage Of
existence of war, then such labor
traitorous. It binders the success
traitorous. 1t binders the successful
prosecution of the war. For the most
part, labor organizations have not
such special advantage, but
few have done So. and in public es-
timation, they stand as traitors to our
democracy.
Business men-men with capital
are not free from the imputation ot'
traitorous conduct. That man who
his own business interests above
the interests of the nation in this war
is traitorously minded. If he deliber-
ately seeks profit at the expense of
national efficiency Gas in the sale of
undergrade materials to the govern
ment) he should be punished, not simp-
ly as a cheat, but as a traitor. This is
the rare exception. 1t is the almost un-
conscious e%xaltation of his own bust
ness interests, however, that makes the
average business man dangerously IL
to traitorous conduct. There is no
such thing as Cuisines as usual dur
ing a war.
Finally, the question of honest tax
and of subscribing to wal loans
is directly and positively a question OF
or treason. There is no need to
the point that the man who con-
ceals his resources, or makes dishonest
returns is a traitor in intent and
deed. What about lending to the gov
ernment? Such lending means usually
a slight sacrifice. But the war can not
be won without sacrifices-and great
If a man has money which
be can lend, and if he does not lend,
he is traitorous, fer he binders the
quick and effective prosecution of the
war.
Such traitors may indeed never be
brought to punishment, ven though
they deserve it as much as the radical
p~aeifist who argues against this war,
or covertly belittles the honesty Of the
purposes of cur allies. But the radical
who sneers, and the man with money
who can lend and does not, are alike
traitorous to our country, to our faith
democracy, and to our objects in
this war. And we, who do make sacri-
know them for the traitors that
they are.
(This is the ninth Of a series of ten
articles by Professor Adams.)
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