The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-01-02
NEW MINUTE-MEN NEEDED.

NJ OBODY has forgotten the great campaigns Of
~ patriotism and persuasion that sold Liberty
bonds, encouraged saving speeded production and
Modified the energies Of the country for war.
Nobody has forgotten the power and momentum put
into those campaigns by the Minute-Men-the volun-
teer speakers, thousands of whom stirred their fellow
citizens in every community in the land by talks-brief,
plain, TO the point
The war is won Nevertheless the Nation now needs
more Minute-Men-for another fight
In discussing the grayest of the domestic problems
that now confront the people Of the United Stateshe
problem of an unrest that cannot be ignored radical
ism fed from many sources-The Evening World has
more than once pointed TO the immense good that
might be accomplished by ten thousand levelheaded
men sent throughout the length and breadth Of the
country to preach simple economic truths as counter
influence
These men need not be trained speakers. On the
contrary the most valuable would be plain working
men with clear heads, sound principles and knack of
Strengthening out the mental processes of their fellow
workers. Thete should be no talking down to the
aborng class" 1t should be the appeal of hard sense
from man TO man.
For every agitator who mounts soapbox to attack
the Government and laws of the United States there
should be another speaker on another Soapbox ex-
planning why the workingmanS best guarantee of get
ting his due without destroying the source of the hoped
for benefits is still the Constitution of these same
United States.
In his message to Congress Dec the President sail
The only way to keep men from agitating
against grievances is to remove the grievances
An unwillingness even to discuss these matters
produces dissatisfaction and gives comfort to
the extreme elements in country which en-
deavor to stir up disturbances in order to pro
woke Governments to embark upon course Of
retaliation and repression. The seed of revolu.
ton is repression. The remedy for these things
must not be negative in character 1t must be
constructive.
Constructive also in the sense of seeking by direct
means TO counteract the effect upon mems minds of
constant sinister suggestion that they can get what they
are struggling for only by Smashing things"
What we need is more organized contemporaries
to show workngmen how much, instead of how
little they have obtained and can still obtain under the
present Government and laws of this country.
Many Americans seem to think the danger of radical
ism is like the danger of a man who has run amuck
somewhere down the street. They feel safe the mo-
ment they hear the police have got him.
The fight against radcalism is not as simple as that
The battles must be fought in mems minds. The vic
tories must be won on the field of judgment and COM
mon sense, by close graphing with enemy ideas as
they try to take possession.
Ten thousand Minute-Men of the sort we have de.
scribed could make telling campaign against the
radical invaders The Federal Government could well
afford to organize and maintain such an army.
The New Year should see larger and more ntell
gent mobilization of national force against the Reds
Why not new Minute-Men?