The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-09-26
HEADED TOWARD ANARCHY.

'IHSGS iSVNn6 SNNhSIVI.
Thirty-five thousand employees of
the federal government in Washing
ton we're declared to be behind the
police OF that city in their determine
ton to become affiliated with the fed.
Grafton OF labor, according to the re-
solutions adopted by the employees
union. These thirty-fiye thousand
employees are all sworn servants of
the federal government. Practically
every one of them has taken an oath
to abide by the constitution of the
country. They have solemnly sworn
that they will uphold and defend their
constitution and government against
all enemies. domestic and foreign.
Yet the President OF the United
States, the congress, the executive
and legislative departments of the
government, administer no rebuke to
them when they announce their es-
pousal of what is practically open re
bellion against the government.
During the recent war employees
and officials of the government were
punished, many of them dismissed
from the service and very properly so
for conduct not half as reprehensible
as that described above. An employee
of the postofice department in Marry
county. who could not possibly have
done his government any serious
harm. was dismissed from the SER
vice because he was not loyal in his
expressions concerning the war with
Germany. Yet thirty.6ye thousand
other employees are permitted TO or
ganize and openly advocate soviet
that would destroy the constitution
of the republic and wreck its instltu,
ticns.
With police affiliated with the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, with thous- |
ands of trusted employees of the gov |
eminent likewise members of that or
ganiZation. giving it an allegiance su-
perior to that which they give to their
common country, it is just step to /
a soviet. The next logical movement /
would be the unionizing of the army /
and navy.
Conditions here are rapidly ap- /
preaching those that obtained in Rus /
STA when the government was over /
thrown and the Bolsheviks attained t
the ascendency. Since that occurred /
anarchy, bloodshed, riot. rapine, muir /
der. have devastated that miserable I
land. Every semblance of law and |
order and decency are gone. Life is !.
unsafe. no protection is offered prop |
erty and liberty is but fgment of the /
Imagination under the reign of terror
that the anarchists of Russia have
brought about. They accomplished
the ruin of that country through the
identical methods that are now being
attempted in America. Soviets of
workingmen's and soldiers councils
were organized, to which the officers
of the nation, the policemen, the sol
diers and the sailors, gave a superior
allegiance. They were more loyal to
these sOviets than they were to the
nation and the end was inevitable.
Government of law and order ceased
to exist. Russia became the victim Of
hateful class rule, just what the labor
agitators are seeking in America.
No man can serve two masters Of
ficers of the law cannot serve the ma
ton, be true to their oaths to the con-
stitution and also serve an organiza.
ton that requires that its members
shall place their allegiance therein
above any obligation that they may I
owe society or the nation. There (
must inevitably conc conflict. If
this government is not strong enough
to enforce loyalty among those whom
it supports and upon whom it must
defend for its protection. its decay ,
and final destruction is not hard to ,
forcsce. -f.sft .#fr