The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-19
Against Agreement.

Such comment as | heard on the
triple agreement to aid France In case
OF an unproVoked attack by Germany
was not favorable The prejudice
against alliances Is deep rooted. Folks
want to know how Germany, II she is
to be made impotent from a military
and naval point Of view, Can ever get
strong enough to make an attack such
as France herself could not handle.
Generally speaking, politicians and
political parties are not high In public
esteem. There Is much impotence with
the professional politics of both the
Democrats n Republicans and con-
siderable irritation over the out-and-
out newspaper organs of both parties,
Independent newspapers seem to be in
Creasing In numbers.
Free speech Is just as popular as ever
hut license Is not. Persons who spent
their time calling the aggression by
Germany and the sinking Of the Lust
tania part of a capitalists war do not
get much freedom when they get up
ntwadays to preach Bolshevism. Re-
form speeches, advocated by respected
members Of the community including
socialists whose attitude on the war
vas above suspicion, are listened to
cy the people, Some cities suppress
all meetings of a liberal character by
refusing permits, Others have found
by experience that the safety valve idea
is most useful and that exposure to
the air sometimes docs less harm than
combining radicals to the poisonous at
mosphere of secret meetings.
As a whole, America is not doing
as much suppressing of fee speech or
as much expressing OF the so-called
radicals as the latter would have the
public believe. Most employers are
recognizing the importance Of keeping
wages above the cost OF living and
with a certain amount Of money besides
for the average workman to take at
Interest In his job. To stimulate eff
f'ciency and remove discomfort, many
corporations are assisting their en-
pioyes to huy their own homes. In
other words attention is being given
to the factor of Contentment. That'a
the way to peat B%olshevism.
SO far as government operation Of
railway, telegraph and telephones, the
public has made up its mind that pri-
vate ownership means competition and
therefore greater efficiency for the con-
that have been done under government
operation will not be forgotten, The
people like to have all trains leave from
the same stations, II they could get
waited on quickly, they would like to
buy their tickets at one place. Also,
at once on unused tickets, The last
two things have caused much irritation
during government operation.
Own Testimony.
The public wants more trains and
better express facilities. As for pas
senger travel, government operation is
much better now than three months
ago. In my journey Of IS days, | spent
at least seven hours OF every day on
the trains. | rode on the principal rail-
roads OF the United States. was late
twice or 10, 900 miles. both cases being
unavoidable, a freight car jumped the
track in Oregon and it IA some time
before a repair crew and engine could
reach us. We were three hours late.
In Louisiana, a two-hour delay exper-
fenced because of an accident to one
Of the ferry barges which carry trains
across the river near New Orleans.
Otherwise, the trains we're on time
every day-a remarkable record.
America looks good to anyone who
has just come from France. Pessimists
and knockers ought to see Europe first.
then take a look at thriving. prosper
Gus America. Our people are living to
some extent OF surplus moneys made
or saved during the war but they are
taCkling peace problems with an en-
thuslAsm that spells absolute confidence
In the future. Reconstruction diff
Culties are by no means overcome. More
soldiers are coming back monthly, Jobs
must be found for them. Most cities
intelligently. The United States was
slow at the war game. 1t has been slow
at the reconstruction game. But as
surely as the American people struck
their stride In the one, they will soon
strike their stride in the other,
Copyright. 1919, by the New York
Evening Post, Inc.)