Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-01-09

Brother Bell is still worried because
the dollar slackers couldn't send us to
the penitentiary Listen to his plain
tive whine, pitiful imitation of the
masters voice
Victor Berger, and others whose
attitude of dislOyalty have given them
tickets to the federal penitentiary, have
talked about Liberty bonds, however,
in the same strain that we have been
accustomed to from you. If yours is
the patriotic attitude, why do all dis
loyaliSts chant the same chorus!
Tie attitude we took toward the
bond campaigns was not framed with
an idea of suiting Bro Bell nor the dol
lar slackers. and it is quite evident that
it didn't suit them. We took the posi-
ton that wealthy men should buy
bonds. and that it was wrong to hound
men into buying bonds they couldn't
afford we asked for publicity OF bona
purchases. just as there is publicity OF
tax assessment. so that people would
know who was bearing the burden. For
this the dollar Slackers attacked us,
and Bro. Bell trailed along with his
plantive me too"
We don't care to go into this matter,
but if Bro. Bell and his friends are
really looking for trouble we can show
instances of men bluffed into buying
bonds they had to later sell at Il dis
count. and of corporations who would
not put even their net profits into
bonds i'll spite of the secrecy that was
maintained there are enough facts
known to make some interesting read
ing.
The irritating thing about these
little pin pricks from Bro. Bell is that
they come from man who showed SO
little spirit himself Where did he get
his reputation for Americanism?
In the early days of the war. while
the Journal was boosting the cavalry
troop. supporting CONSUMPTION and in
Sisting that an army must be sent to
France to fight. Bro. Bell was chatter
ing and sputtering against consumption
and against sending an army across the
water His idea seems to have been
that we could win the war by making
faces at the kaiser. Only when the
government began sending out boil
er plate and ready made editorials did
the NIB. get in the game.
While Bro Bell and his parlor pa
triOt friends were throwing out their
chests and talking about 100 per cent
Americanism and limiting at pr0-Ger
manism in our midst. we started the
organization of a State Guard troop to
help protect against any prO-German-
ism if such existed. Did Bro Bell Of
fer to carry a gun. or did any of the
shouters? Nobody noticed any indica-
ton of any such desires.
What service did Bro. Bell render,
Or what sacrifice did he make that en-
titles him to plume himself on being
better citizen than we are We would
he glad to measure up with him on con-
tributions to the war funds, Red Cross.
y. ~ C. A.. Salvation Army. etc. Are
you game Bro. Bell?
If it were merely a matter of Bro.
RelfS chirpingS, we Wouldn't waste
space on the subject. But this is mere
Iy an incident in Il movement that
should he seriously considered. Dur
ing the war wealthy interests lodged
dher duties and grabbed illegitimate
profits. They stilled opposition to their
hurglarious methods by bowling pro
GermaniSm" at everybody who pro-
tested Most of the newspapers. in
Guiding the NIB. fell for the dope. and
not only CLOSED over the crime but
actually praised the robbers.
This little eruption of Bro. Bells is
the same sort of stuff that he swallowed
and acquired a taste for during the
war According t o the dollar propa
ganda everybody. who doesn't fall
down and worship Mammon is a radi-
cal and radicals are dangerous. Ev-
erybOdy who dareS to criticize the pow
ers that he is attacked and denounced.
Bro. Bells part III it isn't much. and
wouldn't he worth considering except
as illustrating the System.-JOurnal.
|The Eternal Circle"-COntinued
'CHAPTER 3