The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-03-20

The voters Of this country have
never passed on the question OF Gov
eminent ownership and operation Of
the railroads, telephones, and teie.
graph lines. The issue has never been
presented to them for their decision
Col George Harvey in his North
American War Weekly, seems hopeful
that il will be 50 presented at The Ma
tional elections Of next year. Present
ed in the manner that Mr., Harvey fore
casts it would give the Republicans
biz, living issue which they will not
have otherwise. Says Mr.. Harvey;
eff the Democratic party, under the
leadership Of Mr. McAdoo, chooses TO
make the next presidential campaign
on purely SocialistIc issues the country
will be the better for the contest. 10
will clear the air nightly. Govern
ment ownership and operation Of all
ministries VIII then be out in the open.
That in itself will be a distinct i'm
provementu over present dishonest effort
To thrust Socialism down the country
throat under false pretenses Of war
measures" when there is DO war
IL will be a relief TO have the issue
souarely presented TO the people for
their decision. We can then thresh 1t
out on its merits. II We decide to 20 IN
for Socialism, well ADD good At least
we shall be Suciaistic Of our ownchoice
and not by edict or bureaucratic hypo'
crisy. ltwould not be adult campaign.
The issues at stake would be rather
stable. Ii would be necessary 10 do
termine whether we were an American
republic on the lines laid down by the
fathers and conducted not unsuccess-
fully for 100 years or so, or whether
we are a Socialistic republic conduct
ed on lines made IN Germany with
Trotsky- Leuine Russian ideals in the
anteroom awaiting Introduction Thar
would be the whole question.
OF course, there is another side 10
the Socianstlc programme which is
not dwet upon but which is
nevertheless, an important number on
the bill. This is the fact that it.
would not be question OF TIE Govern,
ment owning and operating the In
duslrIes but the certainty OF the EN-.
ployos 10 the industries owning and Oh.
Grating the Government. II would bee
the organized aud Commemorative
ed forces oi anna gamated Government
employees who would put a party N
power and keep itthere as long AS IL
raised wages, shortened hours and load
ed the deficits on the taxpayers.
1t has been the Democratic puy's
lucky lead Of late years. First the
war came along just 10 time 70 save IL
from being kicked out neck aud crop
And now there is this new So
cialism epoch, with millions Of Gov
eminent employees already organized,
financed and equipped a. Government
expense for the Eight, and back Of them
the Federation Of Labor, whose leader
Frank G. Morrison, already has come
out strong for the cause, with the as
surance that the iederauons support
can be counted on 10 the lImlt. And
still back Of this formidable array are
the forces Of Social tic fanarcism iu
all its many forms, from the parlor
variety TO the BOlsheyist ghost dancers.
There il no warrant for predicting
that Government ownership Will be
agowed by the Democratic party
Reasoning from consistency II such
an issue were ayowed by either party
IL would be by the Rupublcans, f.r
theirs has been the party Of federalism
and paternahsm as opposed 70 the
indiyidualism Of the Democrats.
The Pilot does not believe that Col.
Hargey's forecast Of such a campaign
next year will be realized. The fact
that there are some Democratic officials
at Washington who have wandered off
into the woods--that Mr. Burleson is a
paternalist and that Mr.. McAdoo,
while protesting that ne IS not com.
mitted 70 government ownership Is
for policy which would lead 70 that
Ii ID evidence that they c0uia lead the
Democratic party astray.
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