Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-11-21
WHERE THE BLAME BELONGS.

| National Republican 1t is lmpossi
I;,le. without violating the proprieties OF
political discussion, to properly cialac
Iterize the demagogy of Democratic con
eressional leadership in its sham bat
tie for soldier bonus legislation. and
Its cutlery against wartime proiiteerlns
and in favor of AN equalization OF inc
war burden as between the soldier and
civilian population.
1t was Democratic administration
supported by this same Democratic
leadership, which passed in war time Il
CONSUMPTION act applicable to persons
hut not to property. The time for equal
ization of burdens between those call
al to fight, and those permitted to re-
main in peaceful pursuits. was While
the war was on, and an Industrial sys-
fem necessarily denOralized by war
conditions could not have been made
seriously worse by any eNactlon the
government might have demanded.
If. as Democratic leadership i'll con-
grcss now alleges, the man who stayed
ut home to enjoy unusual returns Tor
lis labor or Investment was favored as
against the man called to military serv-
| ice. where lies the responsibility! NO
where but with the leadership OF the
party then in power, and which II was
unsafe for any man in public or private
| life to resist in the slightest degree, ne
ceusc the psychology of the war brand
&c such opposition as unpatriotic. NO
one would have questioned any act OF
this leadership during the war, with
any hope of success. Then was the time
for eaualizing conditions of service as
between the soldier and the civilian
lut the soldier had no vote and the
civilian, especially those civilians bald-
eli together in powerful organizations
had TO be reckoned with at the polls
| II is of record that Democratic lead
crship resisted even the effort to in
crease the pay of the private soldier
from SIG to $50 a month. 1t was within
the power of that leadership to fix the
pay of the soldier at 500 Il month"; II
there had been any desire of that SORT
on it's part at a time when the soldier
most needed help for the support OF MS
ldependents. 1t was within the power OF
Democratic leadership to curb the prof.
| t. erins of civilians, both in wages ana
Profits, but it is Il matter OF record that
this protiteering was encouraged rather
than retarded by the same Democratic
politicians who are now making the
velkin ring with their cutlery i'll pre-
tended behalf of the soldier. what
Democratic leadership failed ana re-
fused to do when it was in power, II
Is eager to do now that ii is out OF
power.
The American soldier has come nome
20 help carry the burden OF an era OF
lpublic waste, and worse, which lays It's
weight upon every home in the land.
j n
lie he is paying the penalty for an era
of imitation, of extravaganza, and OF
gross mismanagement. That orgy was
conducted by the very political party
whose representatives in public life are
now troubling high heaven with their
c!amor about the inability of the party
which has come into control of Il nation
drought to the verge of bankruptcy, to
vote billions to the soldiers, The reason
the party in power cannot now vote bill
lions TO the soldiers is because so many
billions were wasted by the leadership
| that was in control of the government
during the war era.
The greatest blessing that could he
bestowed upon the millions of World
var soldiers in this country is to get the
wheels of industry moving once more,
and furnish the opportunity for employ
mont which Americans value more than
government bounty. The cry OF 'sSak
the rich" which goes up from the Dem
Gcratic camp, not from conviction nut
from the lowest motives OF deliiaSoSE
will curse rather than bless soldier anu
civilian alike. if it shall prove to he SUI
ticieutly effective to promote taxes tii;tt
discourage rather than encourage III
drstrial enterprise, send capital INTO
hiding rather than invite 1t I" invest
ment, and penalizc rather than stiih''-
late productive activity.
The next time this nation goes 10
war. il il ever does, let us cOliScrlpt III
earnest. Let us never again SEM one
Liam to the trenches to risk his life at Il
collar a day while coddling groups of
h.en who work short hours for fourteen
dollars day and>protiteers VINO are