The Missouri herald., 1922-09-01
EDITORIAL
EXPEDIENCY.

Richard Bartholdt of st. Louis, on his re-
turn to the United States after more than a.
year in Europe, paints woeful picture of con-
ditions in Germany. He tells nothing new,
however. Everything he says has been said by
Others Every fear he expresses has been
voiced by others. Unless she is given assist
ance, Germany, he declares, will collapse This
is not merely the judgment of an individual;
it is the verdict of intelligence, official and un-
official. And the consequence Of such fall
make thoughtful men everywhere shudder.
II wonder how long our great and gener-
Gus nation will stand by with folded arms
while another nation, a sister republic, is
drowning" musingy inquiries Mr.. Barthodt
The answer may be found in the word that has
become supreme in the lexicon of our states
men. That word is expediency. Expediency
has not only spread paralysis over our for
eign relations, but it's curse is whitening the
Government in domestic industrial crisis
Congress, it is said, is loath to give the
President authority to take drastic action in
the settlement of the railroad and hard coal
strikes. The hesitancy of Congress in en-
powering the President to take over and oper-
ate the railroads and the coal mines in the
of the Government is we'll founded on
fundamental objections. But that does not ap-
pear to be the determining influence. Con-
gressmen fearful of the effect such action
campaign for reelection is now on and they
don't want to do anything which would alien
ate any considerable body of voters and jeop-
adrize their November chances. The only day
in the calendar that they visualize is election
day.
Once Congressman always Congress-
man seems to be the motto. The fruits in the
orchards may rot, the grain in the fields may
spoil, the results of the farmers laborious
year may be wrecked, but that is secondary to
Congressman's reelection Industry may
perish for want of life-giving fuel and win
ter as bitter as anything Germany may know
may blight potentially rich America, but Con-
gressmen apparently willing to gamble
even with such tremendous stakes in their
game of practical politics. Come what may
they are going to hold onto their jobs if they
can contrive to do it.
This is expedency gone mad, but we have
seen similar revelation before. Two years
ago the presidential campaign conducted
on the same mean, cruelty reckless level. The
politicians who nominated Mr.. Harding and
directed his campaign concluded that keeping
out of foreign entanglements and staying at
home and minding our own business would be
popular issue. They not only shut their
eyes to the needs of stricken world, but all
the arts of Misrepresentation and sophistry
were employed to poison the public mind
against the people of all European nations.
This great and generous nation was not only
told to stand by with folded arms while other
nations sank or swam but politicians insisted
that America would be fool to extend help
ing hand. And it is not of record that Mr..
Richard Bartholdt protested that attitude then.
Let everything be lost save office. That
is the malign philosophy of expediency. Its
practice portends Observation-Disclosures