Evening star., 1922-04-21
scotching the Red Propaganda in
Army and NAVY.

The warning issued by Secretaries
DENLY and Weeks that anarchy was
endeavoring to bore into the Navy
and Army has drawn universal in
dorsement from the newspapers of
the nation. .if action actually was
needed" However. there is a general
suggestion in the press comment that,
after all. it might have been better
had the chiefs of the national defense
been a trif1e more explicit in their
warnings and the causes thereof.
Some of the editors are inclined to be
distinctly skeptical. recalling the fore
bodings of a former cabinet official
Nevertheless all agree that always
there exists a danger that the red"
movement may try to make the wear
ers of the uniform discontented, espe-
cially under existing conditions.
Communism and anarchy in the
Navy was probably only a manifesto
ton of spring fever. accompanied by
a red rash" suggests the New YORK
Evening World, which believes that
Secretary Weeks contracted the mall
ady in much lighter FORM The
World thinks "if there is danger of
extremist movements there is some
reason for them. Congress and the
Navy Department are to blame IN TN
kering with pay scales and in cutting
the maintenance appropriations Even
such provocation would have little ei-
feet on the Army-Navy personnel,
however, in the opinion of the Phlla-
delphia Bulletin, which after review
ing the insidious manner in which
red" propaganda is spread registers
the positive opinion that neither Sec
rotary DENLY nor any other man can
fear that the officers and men can
be seduced in any considerable num-
bers from loyalty to the nag. pc
cause, as the Boston Post poln.s OUT
"this confidence is justified" and sedi-
tion will never rule our armed forces,
although it is just as well to kill II
young, for it is a source OF trouoie at
any time. and id any degree.
The necessity for such puplic
warning at this time is inciheo 70
puzzle the Christian Science Monitor,
which believes that "if discomfort ana
disaffection are spreading in the ranks
of the Navy something more tnah an
executive order threatening punlsh-
ment will be needed to eradicate them.
The men of the rank ana ME OF the
Army and Navy are not idealists They
have been taught that the liberty
thew cherish is a thing to be fought
for. q condition to be achieVed nao
defended by force, and that TINS Iorce
ia something they can direct as Wen
as anybody. ALONG SAAiilai A,io t.Io
port Huron (Mich.) Times-Herald con-
tends that IL there are additional Facts
known to the Secretaries they should
make them known, because II the
forces of disloyalty are at work uncle
Sam will tolerate no attempt Dy thsm
"to undermine our government. Let the
Secretary Of the Navy speak out plain
"" After all, however, the New York
Herald suggests, "Mr. Daugherty,
head Of the department which deals
with foolish folks who pit the lunacy
Of their misguided ideas against the
good sense of Americans, remarks
That there are folks who see danger
~ revnlution whenever they see q
woman with a red hat walk down the
streAf Mr., Weeks obviously can gaze
nnon red hat without trembling for
the future of the Union. Mr.. Denny
ought to learn to do the same thing.
The bonnet rouge does not always
,naen that society is endangered"
Anv depression evident or indicated
in the naval forces, In the belief OF
fha Indianapolis News, may have its
inception in the reduction OF strength
nv treaty and by Congress-, ana II
suesests that ''it is small wonder that
,,,s,, Who have given their careers to
the Navy are in mood to listen
hnnefuily to red propaganda. They
sympathy in the present ma
val crisis. They would be cheered
somewhat by a. higher ideal OF 10Y
atty ny.1 IN .honid Sons Serve, for he knows
rom experience, and he speaks both
a former sailor and as Secretary of
the Navy" Which leads the Detroit
E,rsa press to indorse specifically and
warmly the secretary's declaration OF
confidence IN the loyalty ana
srnrees its belief. that "the soviet
3 cenfs are. wiser In their day and