Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-12-10
IOWA III THE FOREGROUsD.

.
Again Iowa has been called on by
the nation to take the lead in meeting
q great national conference has been
called TO meet In New York, December
10th, and one delegate from each state
has agreed TO be in attendance. The
purpose Of the conference Ii to i'm
|mediately perfect national organiza-
ti0n to promote Americanism and
more particularly to fight radical
propaganda with pro-American prop
aganda. = tsl
Charles H. McNider, OF Mason City,
chairman Of the Third, Fousth. and
Fifth Liberty Loan drives in Iowa, has
been asked to represent Iowa at the
conference. and Secretary Clum Of the
Greater Iowa Association, has been
asked to present the plan upon which
Iowa has been organized for the last
five years, with view to having that
plan adopted for each state in the I'm
ion.
About q month ago the Greater Iowa
Association sent broadcast thruout the
United States, pamphlet addressed
to leading business men, urging ma
tional organization. The conference
at New York Is the immediate result.
It Is hoped to begin in each state the
formation Of an organization similar
In every respect to the Greater Iowa
Association. and to have these vArious
state organizations co-ordinated into
groups corresponding with the Fed
|eral Reserve Banking groups.
The plan OF organization as suggest
ed by the Greater Iowa Association
places az OF first importance In the
national conference "a bureau Of pol
itical economy to be composed OF three
or four Of the keenest and best found
ed political economists in the United
States. These men would read all oi
the propaganda I. that 10 directed
against our present form OF govern
ment and our American ideals-would
analyze It. make notes Of its inaccur-
acies. and Of its utilities"
A very definite plan is outlined for
the preparation Of Americanism prop
aganda. and its distribution thru posts
OF the American Legion, commercial
clubs. Rotary clubs, and other civic
Organizations.
A plan also has been suggested for
text books to be used in the schools,
all tho way from primary grades to
postgraduate college courses.
I'VE should re-write the primer.
says the call, "and instead of teaching
our first grade pupils that The cat is
black or See the mouse we could
easily substitute primary propagan-
Hda that would open the door to de-
velOping study of citizenship"
The plan further outlines illustrated
lectures for the schools. the creation
Of civic study clubs, and so forth. In
conclusion the pamphlet says. while
ItsAA true that big business SO called,
Is specifically unanimous in agreeing
that a campaign such as is proposed
Is necessary, 1t is vitality important to
the success of the campaign that big
business be in no way identified with
It II this movement becomes nation
al, It must continue to be movement
Of the great middle class, who insist
upon notifications OF both extremes
and the creation of middle ground
where all OF us-capital, labor and all
the rest OF us. may meet and remain.
II 1t fs true,-as We in Iowa think it
1s-that the .old school OF economics
must either be modified or destroyed,
the question for as to consider. as be-
longing. to the middle class. is, DO
we prefer modification to destruc-
tion?'