Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-07-25
FOR THE SQUARE DEAL.

FOR THE SQUARE DEAL.
81 ask upon what theory of Justice
can the government put its hand upon
the shoulder Of one youth and say,
Because you have weak lungs, be-
cause You have flat feet, or poor teeth
you shall remain at home, work in
munitions factory and receive 81 to $40
per day or occupy desk In the office
of some government department and
help to keep the military files and be
paid S. or more per day. and put
it's hands to the shoulder Of another
boy physically fit and say, Because
you are well, because yonr health Is
good, you can fight in the trenches Tor
81 day. Senator Walsh Of Mas
sachusetts
Nobody is defending such q policy
now days. On the contrary the " ,plc
are unalterably opposed to it aud there
lis general surprise that such practices
were followed during the war.
The men who worked for the govern
ment in the shipyards and in the Of
fees ought to have been colscripted,
same ms the soldiers, and required to
work for thesame pay. The same policy
should have been followed In alt lines
of endeavOr. The business man. the
professional man, the farmer and all
the rest should have been required to
give of their efforts to the common
cause, without compensation further
than given to the boys In the trenches.
Money, and property too, should have
been at the beck and call of the govern
ment at reasonable prices. All the re-
sources of the nation should have been
enlisted in the war upon basis Of
equity and justice. No man or set of
men, no combination or interest,
should have found it possible to make
money out of the war. President
Harding stated the case well when he
said in his inaugural
If war is again forced upon us,
certainly hope a way will be found
which will unity our individual and
collective strength and consecrate all
America, materially and spiritually,
body and soul, to national defense. l
can vision the ideal republic, where
every man and woman is called under
fthe flag for assignment Of duty, for
whatever service, military or civic,
the individual is best fitted, where we
may call to universal service every
plant, agency or facility, all In the
sublime sacrifice Of our country and
not one penny of war profit shall inure
to the benefit Of the private individual,
corporation or combination, hut all
above the normal shall flow into the
defense chest Of the nation. There is
something inherently wrong, some
thing out Of accord with the ideals Of
representative democracy when one
portion of our citizenship turns Its &C.
tivity to private gain amid defensive
war while another is fighting, sacrific-
ing or dying for national preserya-
ton"
Had we had leader with q vision
like that and the courage to back 1t
up, the country would not now be iif
such financial difficulties. The war
would not have cost the United States
half DIS much as it did. No million
aires would have been. made and men
working in factories and shipyards
would not have pulled down - or SO
a do, while the boys we're fighting in
the trs qches for 81 and board. Such
a policy too, would be democratic and
it ought 20 be adopted If there ts ever
another A,r in which this country is
engaged.
II all the nations Of the world would
adopt such methods Of public service
in time OF war there would be no war.
That policy would beat disarmsment
to FRAGILE as war preventive aud
as peace insurance policy.
WHEN = IeSWeIC haAIuihk cnuUSi3tcu
such a policy in his inaugural he
touched a popular chord and II he will
only keep right on playing upon that
string he will accomplish something
worth while. He is in the only posi-
\ ton in this country where it y pos
sible to enforce such policy and II he
Is sincere and chose his words with
due consideration he must not let the
matter become obsolete by abandoning
the high moral ground taken In his
inaugural.