The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-04-11
DICTATORSHIP MUST
BE OVERTHROW

Washington, March 3l-The Re-
publican Publicity association through
Its President, Hon. Jonathan Bourne,
Jr, today gave out the following state
ment from its Washington head
quarters:
This is a time for plain speaking,
II individual liberty is to be main
tanned at home and national freedom
maintained abroad While the Presi-
dent of the United States is in Europe
trying to bind this nation to league
which, in the form proposed by him,
surrenders the independence of the
United States in several vital particu
lars, his political master general is
proceeding at home in the usurpation
of powers never intended to be con-
League of Nations shall be formed
with this country party, on the plan
proposed by President Wilson. our
national future will be at the mercy
of the varying interests of other ma
tions in Europe and Asia. If Mr..
Burleson can succeed in his high
handed effort to commit this country
to paternalism or worse, on the alb
surd theory that his present actions
are essential to the winning of the
war, then individual rights in this
country are at the mercy OF the vary
ing political interests or whims of
whoever happens to be temporarily
vested with official authority
MANY people have been won to the
support of the League of Nations
scheme by the false assertion that we
must choose between that league and
chaos. Many people have been in
duced to look with complacency upon
uurpations in the form of seizures of
telephone, telegraph and cable prop
critics because those properties hap
pen to be owned by corporations and
because it is falsely asserted that they
can be operated more economically
and efficiently by government officials
than by private managers.
According to the most plausible
advices received from our secretivc
representatives in Europe. it is APP
parently the plan to weave the league
of nations into the peace treaty in
such way as to force its adoption
without opportunity to consider it
solely upon its own merits, thus prac-
ticallv multiplying that provision of the
constitution which stipulates that
treaties shall be made only upon the
advice and consent of two-thirds of
the Senate. 1t is proposed to force
adoption of an Objectionable rider"
as an essential incident to desirable
peace treaty. 1t is proposed in our
domestic business affairs to scramble
public utility concerns and destroy
their separate organizations in such
way as to make restitution difficult if |
not impossible, and thus force the |
country to a policy of government
ownership without regard to the judg- |
ment or wishes of the people of their
representatives in congress.
This is plain statement of what is
going on. 1t is subversion of that
orderly procedure contemplated by the
letter and spirit of the constitution
and laws of the United States The
President and his political master gen
eral have set their wills above the
law and the constitution, and propose
to commit this government and its
destinies to certain policies vitality
menacing the future of the nation.
II the President places the League
of Nations question before the senate
in such form that 1t cannot be
passed upon according to its own
merits, aside from a question OF peace
with Germany, or if the postmaster
general manipulates the property tina
has been committed to his control, I'M
der the guise of war necessity. in such
manner that the property cannot be
returned to its owners, it will be the
plain duty of the house of representa-
tives to present an impeachment
against either or both, to be tried by
the senate in accordance with the
letter and spirit of the constitution.
The vital question now before the
country is whether this is a govern
ment by law or government BY men.
Now is the time to settle it once and
for all"