Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-28
QUACKS THE ONLY PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVE IN PANACEAS
This Is Why sound.Thjnkins Men Have
No Use for the Theories Of Debs

TT1lIE inability OF the Socialists to think
l. straight was never better illustrated than
in the opposition of Eugene V. Dcbs TO the
Draft Law.
This law conformed to the Socialist theory
more nearly than any other law ever passed
in the United Stntcs. There was IN occa-
Slou when 1t was thought necessary by
majority Of the representatives Of the people
TO draw into the service of the people large
number of fighting men. The law provided
for drafting every able bodied man between
certain ages, without distinction of wealth
or social position. Then It provided also for
tho exemption from military service Of men
who could be more uscfully employed in the
emergency. This exemption applied cspc
r!ally TO working men, If those men would
devote themselves to winning the war by
working in the rear to Eccn tho army sup
piled with what it needed.
This is the csscnc" of socialism: that thc
state shall command the services of tho
people and shall assign them to the tasks
that need to be done. But Debs opposed il
because, forsooth, he is opposed to war.
And he sought to interfere with the opera
ton of the law. This Is what he was pun
ished for; not for his opinions. but for his
active efforts TO nullify the expressed will Of
the majority in II great national crisis. His
conduct was the same In kind as that OF the
German spies who sought to sink transports
carrying troops to Europe. No ono ought
TO permit himself TO be fooled by the talk
that DcbS waS Il martyr to his opinions.
llc was n" moro n martyr to his opinions
than were the German agents who were shot
in the Tower of London.
There is another phase Of this ,ocialistic
business that deserves Il little attention just
now. when Deb5 is on the point Of touring
the country in opposition to war. We are
all opposed TO war, and the men who dis
covered how socialistic principles work when
applied on so large scale as TO compel them
TO fight are certainly as bitterly opposed to
war as any one. This other phase Is that
socialism is not the panacea which its sup
porters insist it IS. There is no panacea
or cure all in medicine and there certainly
is none in government. The medical man
who advcrtises n curc-all is known as n
quaCf. The Socialists are political quacks.
This does not mean that socalistic the
orics Hrc not useful in an emergency nor
that they have not been used successfully.
They have been a useful remedy ever since
democracy began TO supersede autocracy.
We have got beyond the stage where a spe-
Cifc proposition is damned by calling IL
social!stc We do not ask how it Is de-
fined by the political economists. hut
whether it will apply to existing conditions
and better them. Lighting the streets at
public expense is SocialStic. So is paving
them. So is a water supply for n city pro-
Yldcd at public expense.
Just now there is talk about municipal
ownership of transit facilities in this city
as q way out Of the present tangc. and no
one has denounced it ms socialiStic; but in
the sociaistic state all transportation sys-
L.. -
the presidents of the great railway systems
are saying that unless the Government stops
interfering with them it will be necessary
for the Government TO take over the rail-
ways as il has dore in some European coun-
tries. And there arc many leaders in the
Democratic Party who have advocated il,
Just as they have advocated Government
ownership of the coal mines. And the
postofiice. as every one knows. is q social!stic
affair, displacing the private system Of dis
tributing the mail. which broke down under
the pressure of business when business was
not we'll organized.
The weakness Of the position Of the So.
calists who spell the word with 4 capital
letter is that they demand the wholesale
abandonment Of accustomed methods Of
government and business and tho applica-
ton OF the principle of the Draft Law 10
all human activities. The plan would not
work. 1t is waste of time and energy TO
advocate ii. Those who really have anything
to do devote themselves to moro profitable
tasks, knowing. whether they believe in
socialism or not. that when n dose OF So
cialism Is indicated - TO usc the medical
phrascoIogy---it will be administered. and
that when It is not indicated Il will do more
harm than good.