The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-09-16
Propaganda ~Overworked.

Inc DCODlt VI pchlllS hdNt bOSh WV
run with propaganda about the Rus
sian question and responsible people
here tell me they have been at a loss
how to fight 1t because OF the uncer-
tainty of the American governments
position. President Wilson's plain speak
Ing on his Western trip, his denunci-
alton Of the rule of the Bolsheviki COM
missioners in Petrograd and Moscow,
therefore, has had an affirmative eff
feet here. II has stimulated those who
are trying to squelch Bolshevism in
the United States and given them the
impression that they will have the full
force OF the federal government be-
hind them II necessary.
The president In his speech at Helena
talked about radicalism and said plain
" that agitation which a for It's OBJ
ject the curing Of existing wrongs by
political means should not be molested,
but should be encouraged. Some OF
the newspaper men travelling with the
president thought this was n plain sttm-
illus to the lawless elements who would
use the presidents words as an ex-
| cuse for their campaign Of agitation,
Inquiry in Seattle reveals that what
| one might have supposed would be FOOD
for the radicals or at least good head
| lines for the labor papers here was
| carefully buried and ignored. The pres
dents overtures, so to speak, We're
/ GOl1Ctdltu liNlu llt VI ~ ANhA
| they might renew their confidence In
| the president. For it Is labor's policy
to keep the rank and file dlstrustfuI
of the president and cynical of his
! promises, nor are they for this same
reason putting much emphasis on the
capital and labor conference soon to
be held In Washington,
The |. W. WIS and large bodies Of
| other laboring men are apathetlc about
that conference, A typical question ad-
| dressed to President Wilson, which re-
veals the attitude Of the main labor
paper In Seattle, for instance, is this
| WHY do you not occasionally suggest
TO employers that they pay the wage
or grant the conditions demanded By
iabor pending the calling of an indus
trial conference instead Of continually
asking labor to make the sacrifices?
Cause of Criticism.
The average fastener would prob,
ably argue that President Wilson had
been very friendly TO labor Throughout
his administration and II Is because
Of that fact that he Is so often criti'
cized by conservatives in both tht
Democratic and Republican parties. Blu
out here the editorials and speeches
OF the labor group make Mr., Wilson
out 10 he a tory OF the most tyran'
meal stripe, suppressing free speech
"~torturing" political prisoners, offend
Ing the workers of Russia, and par
ticipating in an alleged miscarriage o
justice with respect to numerous labo'
martyrs, IN.
This then is the atmosphere In which
President Wilson found himself at Sc
attle-au atmosphere Of class friction
with an apprehension OF disorder AM
anarchy that Is not imaginary but real
Perhaps II was the turbulence of TIL
moh-friendly though II proved to be-
which threw Mt Wilson OFF his stead,
poise for his speech In Seattle wa
disconnected and devoid Of any new
argument. It was at Tacoma that tn,
president made his best speech. III
made his audience gasp as he recite'
the fearful cost in men and none,
OF the late war and a spontaneous out
burst Of approval greeted his reading
OF the final paragraph OF his famou
message Of April, 1917, II was a pass
age printed on liberty loan poster
everywhere throughout the war and MI
Wilson'S point is that when he mad
his address to congress, Republican
and Democrats alike applquded and is
sued statements afterward, declaring
that the president had truly spoken tn
wish OF the American people, So tn
president repeated the phrases In whic
he had pledged America to fight IL