The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-11
WITH THE EDITORS
ABOUT PROFITEERS

A few days ago State Press emitted few
words concerning the riotous strikers at Kansas
City, who sought to prove their loyalty by carry
ing American flags while they were acting like
Huns. From Waco comes protest from gentle
man who writes of 1--WE Of the working Glass;" and
asserts that the "profteers" are endeavoring to
grab all the wealth of America land subjugate its
pepoe." Now, State Press is far from defending
any person who makes the war an excuse to extort
money for his own use from any individual or
group but there are numerous embryo sedltlonlsts
and disloyalists in this country who, having been
shamed into the abandonment of their warfare on
"cantoicm.' are now bringing their guns to bear
on "profiteers," by which term they mean just
what they meant when they spoke of capitalism.
In short, these nalevolents are aiming at the de-
struction of the nations business in the hope that
in the turmoil they may grab off something that
belongs to somebody else. AS rule any publicist,
oratorical or editorial, who proclaims himself of
"the working class" in America is insincere and
miscellaneous. In this country of equal and alum
dant opportunities there are no differentiated
"classes" except in the minds of demagogues The
wage-earner may become proprietor If ne wills
It So and practically every conspicuous employer
in America today began as an obscure and very
poor Wage-earner. On the other hand, the sons OF
grandsons Of successful Americans not infrequent-
~ return to the wage class by reason Of losses or
acknowledgement of inherited property These con-
slant movings up and down inhibit the sort of eco
nomic stagnation which, in Europe, where there
are inherited social distinctions, congeals into ac
copied class lines But, getting back to profiteers,
are all the profiteers in the so-caed "capitastic
group? The government is now taxing war profits
earned on capital to an almost confscatory extent.
But there are profiteers among the workers who
are not paying red cent to the federal govern
ment in the form of taxes State Press submits
that the workmen on any government job who in
this crisis lay down their tools and refuse to carry
Oh until some one-sided demand is granted are
manfesting the same blind and distempered dis
loyalty that the Bolshevki employed in the wreck
ing of Russia. For example, several thousand car
penters engaged on ship construction in the Balti-
more region have quit work pending an increase
of five cents an hour in their pay. 1t is very likely
they deserve the increase, but considering that
there are more than half million Americans in
France whose lives may depend on American ships,
and that these Americans are working for less
than fourth of the money the ship carpenters are
earning it can not be seriously contended that this
strike is not disloyal and shameful. If the leaders
Of it are Americans, which is doubtful they ought
to be examined by the federal authorities concern
ing the source of their inspiration. This is time
when every American ought not only to declare his
loyalty in words, but in works.-Houston, Tex,
StstS 14ss!s