New-York tribune., 1919-04-05
Senator Scores ''Commuting
Government for ''Bask-
ing in Foreign Adulation'
and Neglecting U. S. Needs
"Time to Call a Halt'
Charges Great Britain and
Japan Are Profiting by
Our Dilatory Policies
.Norp York Tribune
3IYuShin otom Bureau

SIYuShin0tom Bureo"
WASHINGTON, April 4.-"There's
nobody home in America This was
the phrase applied to the domestic stu
alton in the United States to-day by
Senator Hiram W. Johnson, Of 1ali-
fornia, in a public statement here, in
which he calls attention to the benev-
olent interest manifested by the Fed
eral government in affairs in foreign
lands while problems pressing for solu-
ton in this country are neglected.
"Our committing government hovers
aroun,. European capitals, basking in
the sunlight cf foreign adulation." SEN
ator johnson says. at has become q
rcproach in many quarters to think in
terms Of America for America first.
lis time to call halt. Let's make it
respectable to be American again. It's
time for America to awake.
Five months have passed since the
armistice, since we did the job for
which America entered the war Dur
ing all this time we've been afflicted
with mental farsightedness which en-
abled US to see the ills and the posi-
bilites of Finland and Poland, of Cour-
land and Lvonia, of Esthonla and
Lithuania of Czecho-Slavia and Jugo-
Slavia, of Armenia and Syria, and even
of the Hedjaz of Arabia, but which has
prevented US from seeing or caring for
the ills and the problems of our own.
Americans Under Foreign Cosnmand
Five months after the end of the
war we have million and half of
men in France and Germany; Ameri-
can boys in Siberia under Japanese
Russia under English command; and
what this means can be told by the
fathers and mothers of Detroit from
the letters of their sons. Five months
after we've made the good fight and
won England is acquiring a world mo-
nopoly of oil. and has the cable and
radio monopoly, and is reaching for
the worlds commerce; Japan is IN
some undisclosed manner endeavoring
10 establish a foothold upon our bor
der; Corea is in revolt, only held in
subsection by ruthless cruelty; China
is seethng and is publicly notified by
Japan that if she publishes the secret
treaties which place her in subsection
Japan will punish her.
"Our demobilized soldiers ask only
Justice and work and got neither; our
ordinary business lags, and because of
the governments inactivity or indif-
ference cannot resume It's normal con-
ditons, unemployment increases daily
and foreign agitators play upon dis
tress and discomfort. In the state from
@1,,- Il
our barley growers face dire disaster
because they patriotically responded
to the demands of the government and
are now abandoned, while foreign ma
tons have actually profited from their
sacrifices.
I'VE are under the spell of world
hypnotism, unconscious of what is
transpirlng about us. Our committing
government hovers around European
capitals, basking in the sunlight of
foreign adulation. The President is in
Paris. the Secretary of State there,
the Secretary of the Navy in Italy,
the Secretary of War on his way to
Europe, the heads of various admins
trative departments are scattered East
and West, and North and South in
Europe-there' nobody home in Amer
lca.
ut has become reproach in many
quarters now to think in terms of
America for America first. It's time
TO cali q halt. Let's make it respect
able to be American again. While our
future fate is being secretly debated
and secretly decided in Paris, and
while we are denied the slightest
knowledge Of decisions which may al
ter the destiny Of the republic, loyal
Americans here may well think Of their
own. The war has SHOWN us our
grave problems. Amcricanization, un-
employment, normal business condi-
TONS, intelligent graphing with and
tnrottilng discomfort and resentment
winch may turn to worse, destruction
Of any noxious foreign growth which
threatens our institutions-a these
lns'stently cry for attention and solu-
ION but are put by Tor world dreams
Let's care for, guard and protect
our own.
Bring American boys home and let's
be American again"