The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1918-06-01
CRAFT IN WASHINGTON
AROUSES CONGRESS
So Many People With SonAsscis
Money Affords Chanes ssSs GsaR
But Press 10 Sihst

Ne nEP e2d semzUDG WNNt
legislation has tho pram ker1ael
frightened at Q phantom and paA-I
denly lost Its mission throuRh q Ter
Of things that were never intended tol
work against the best interests Of tha
people?
We are forced 10 ask this question
by a study Of the Congressional Rec
ord and by the all too clear and much
too prevalent profteering that, with
matters In their present state, seem
to have made the press afraid to say |
word.
Nothing short Of the recent amend- [
ment to the espionage act can be re-
sponslble for this fear and vet !
there was nothing In the espionage
act, severe and hole proof as IL Is.
that was placed there for the purpose
OF shutting of the press from its
mission or prohibiting 1t pub
hshing any matter at all except those
things war-hindering and Germany-
aiding In effect.
High wages have had 10 Be-,
offered to got sufficient persona.
needed In various departments n
Washington, away from home where
their expenses were less.
So when thousands Of peOpls ea,na,
into Washington to work In depart
ments at good salaries the people In
the District Of Columbia took 1t upon
themselves to charge them a rate
they felt the clerks ought to be glad
to pay even If 1t did constitute al
charge Of three or four times what
they had ever been able to get be-
fore. And as the war goes on and
moro help Is needed matters Get
worse, until now congress is becoun-
ing aroused over the matter and
wondering why in the name of ius-
tlce the press doesn't expose this
profiteering and in addition to max
ing 1t unpopular in the District, and
the nation, create an interest that
will put a check on this particular
kind Of profteerinR.
Some may say the press IA en-
crossed with consideration Of things
far more important to the nation. No
such thing. If thousands Of people
were being robbed in Chicago by
some over-rich corporation there are
plenty of papers that would have
something to say about 1t despite the
number that would remain silent be.
cause of their subsidized condition.
What then is the matter? Is the
press afraid that everything in
Washington, D. c., Is labeled 'eThe
Sacred Cow" and is it going 10 offer
no relief and aid to a congress that
desires the assistance of the press in
looking after the interests of the
common people in America who ara
so absorbed in the issue of democracy
for the world that they are letting
nefarious practices right under their
nose slip by without even passing
notice.
The espionage bill does not and VIVA
not intended to make O sacred cow
out of everything In Washington or Ia
transform everything the garments
: OF the administration may touch in
to the sub-rosa class after the fashion
OF Midas whose touch turned every-
thing to gold.
l The government was plainly after
the reptile and seditious tendencies
OF a certain class of papers and while
it was about it fixed the matter so
there would be no excuse for dis
elimination should an enemy appear
in an unexpected quarter.
Should some agent of thu Oovern.
: ment, with power to do So, abuse the
law and make it an instrument for
destroying any particular part or sec
ton OF the press that will be a ques-
ton of individual weakness and sub
, serviency to special interest and not
| the fault Of the law or according to
the purpose upon which the presi-
dent urged passage Of the measure.
, He made it perfectly clear that the
administration is after pro- -German-
ism pure and simple and wants the
/ press to feel perfectly free to stand
up for all things democratic and in
sist on justice at every turn. This
is clearly apparent In the bill itself
Q where it makes the measure inef-
fective except in time Of war. The
administration wanted to be 30 sure
that it was striking no blow at free
r dom Of the press that It did not leave
the matter subject to the repeal of a
future administration that might
wish TO make the present statutes
permanent but fixed II so the law Is
absolutely Of no effect In times Of
peace.
This provision and nothing else as
} sured The MENACE that the best in
/ terests Of the country demanded the
/ passage Of the bill-without that
: proviso II would have fought to the
Q last ditch II IL had lost its mailing
: privilege in so doing.
2 And now to give you some idea Of
E conditions in Washington which the
r press has been ignoring, and this,
mind you comes from page 7093 Of
the Congressional Record for May
18th. Mr.. Wood Of Indiana is speak
: ing:
Q "We are told by the press -and I
e suppose 1t is true-that when the
A schools throughout the country adj
r journ in the month Of June $1,000
young men and young women who
have taken the civil-service examines
/, tions are to come here to fill positions
4 and they are invited to come here.
0 Advertisements In the county papers
: and in the city papers throughout
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