Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-14
Traitorous Propaganda.

One might draw from the tone Of many
members of congress and a considerable sec
ton of the American press that forming an
effective world federation to do away with re-
scrt to arms between nations we're purely a
partisan question Singing thrusts are made
at President Wilson because he went to Europe
to try to do first hand what obviously it would
be impossible to do by proxy. We see in a
Lincoln day cartoon the American flag depicted
as disgraced by having an international flag
placed above it.
How soon people forget! How easy it will
be to take away from them that for which they
have fought and starved and sacrificed and for
which they will be paying for generations!
Suppose band of men set out to discover
the north pole. After they have endured great
hardships and fatigue and have lost many mem
bers OF the party they find themselves past the
last serious obstacles, with solid footing and
fair weather ahead Then, with the goal SO
near they fall to arguing about the advisability
Of going farther Whats the use?" someone
walls IF we go on and discover the pole our
leader will get all the glory. We have done
our shares Let's loot the company stores and
go back!"
That describes fairly well the situation in
which the United States and the allies find
themselves at this moment. Six months ago
there was very little difference of opinion as
to what we were fighting for or whether the
object was worth while. Those who suggested
stopping and turning back were promptly
branded as pro-German traitors. There are
quite q number OF these in the federal peni-
tentiaries now.
The great obstacle has been passed. Ger
many has been whipped: But we are weary
and many of us discouraged and dis
gruntled by something that has happened on
the way The appeal to seize the stores and
turn back strikes a responsive chord in not
few breasts. 1t is popular thing to berate
the leaders ard tmpugn their motive, matter
how little It helps prospects for the success
OF the expedition
Beating Germany once is no compensation
for all this bloodletting and pain and sacrifice.
Our goal is to make sure that we shall not
have to do # again, either in the case of Ger
many or any other country If we do not keep
up cur morale and go through with the or
ganizing Of the best international arrangement
for the mitigation of the danger Of war that
the human brain can devise and make effective
then we have faiIed-perish the thought.
1t is easy to make political capitai out of
the situation like this and that is precisely
what is being done. Shouting and waving the
dag and crying that the grand old emblem is
being neglected and disgraced will get a rise
out of almost any audience and harping upon
that sort OF thing long enough may sway the
next election. Our own country is tried and
tangible The war is and it isn't likely
there will be another like It in our time Prices
are high and so are taxes. Future generations
must look out for themselves.
Let no one be deceived Those who make
this appeal are not They want the people to
forget and this sort OF propaganda, which would
have provoked mob violence against the
authors of it few months ago, is being dis
seminated deliberately to deprive the world of
it's chance paid for IN blood, for universal
self-goveTnment. The attack is conferred in the
United States because this country is the
cepted leader and example. The political di-
version is only a means to an end, convenient