Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1920-05-07
100 PER CENT. AMERICANISM
By Allen McCurdy, of the Committee
of Forty Eight

AVO LIN SAI4N
By Allen McCurdy, of the Committee
of Forty-Eight
An Americanization Committee was
recently thrown into confusion ano
debate by the simple question, "What
is 1000 Americanism ?" No phrase
is more universally used. All poll
ticians are strong for 10000 Ameri-
canism." 1t is a curious phrase,
When James Otis, Patrick Henry,
Daniel Webster, Thomas Jefferson
and Abraham Lincoln spoke of Amer
icanism, it was always in terms of
liberty, equal opportunity for all,
special privileges for none, the fear
of injustice and despotism, the hatred
of monopoly and the aspiration for
freedom. 1t is significant that the
modern politician describes Ameri-
canism, not in terms of the aspira-
tions of the human soul, but in the
terms of the banking house, the
ledger and profit.
This gives US clue to what 10000
Americanism" really is. Senate Docu-
ment No. 259 shows US the practical
side of "100% Americanism" by re-
vealing to US some 10000 American
ISM" One steel company, according
to this document which is based upon
returns to the Treasury Department,
in the year 1917, after paying its eX
cess profit tax, made 212,584%o, its
net income being $14,549,952 on a
capital stock of $4,000. Senate Docu
ment No. 259 also reveals that dur
ing 1917 net profits were reported by
Dry goods stores as high as 9,826%
Coal companies as high as 1850
Meat packers as high AS. 4,244%
Furniture makers as high as 3,295R
Flour mills as high as........ 2,628%c
Gamers (fruit and vegetable)
as high as.............................. 2,O32R
Woolen mills as high as. .... 1,770R
Building contractors as high
as ....................................... 1,39O%
This is concrete "100B American
ism" From the men who made 1000
or more in the year Of supreme
sacrifice (191O, when economy was
urged upon the mass of the people
and when our soldiers were risking
and giving their lives for $50 a
month, has probably come the money
to finance the political campaigns and
pay for the enormous publicity whose
chief end seems to be to call all who
object to this kind of Americanism
traitors" Bolshevists" and "revolu
tionists."
1t is highly significant that al
though Senate Document No. 259 has
been within easy reach of the Attor
ney-General Of the United States, not
one of these "100ao Americans" has
been prosecuted for profteering. In
stead, the activities of the Depart
ment of Justice have been directed
toward the revolutionary efforts" of
the workers to secure enough wages
to keep pace with the increased cost
of living, the cause of which is sug-
gested in the above figures.
These "10096 Americans" are evil
IDENTIFY determined to perpetuate,
through the control of the govern
ment, conditions which allowed them
to capitalize the World War for their
own personal profit. They believe
that the government is something for
them to live on, while all others live
under it.
At public meeting recently, such
men Kissed the statement of one
speaker that "this country, with its
institutions, belongs to the people
who inhabit it. Whenever they shall
grow weary of teh existing govern
ment, they can exercise their consti-
tutional right of amending it, or their
revolutionary right of dismembering
and overthrowing it," being ignorant,
until they were informed, that they
had Kissed Abraham Lincoln's first
inaugural address. Lincoln would
have called such men today what he
called them 81 years ago:-"They are
the vanguard, the miners and sappers
of returning despotism. We must re-
pulse them, or they will subjugate
u.s."
Americanism, in terms of the dol
lar, is that patriotism which Ben JON
son defined as being "the last refuge
of scoundrels." 1t must be destroyed
and replaced by the Americanism OF
jefferson and of Lincoln, which is
marked by "its superior devotion to
the personal rights of men holding
the right of property to be second
only and great" inferior-the man
before the dollar"
Senate Document No. 259 contains
unanswerable facts which dictate the
necessity for the public ownership Of
basic industries. h or, according to
the able analysis of this documnet
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