The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-02-19
Exposits True Socialism.

To the Editor. The Washington Herald:
Mr.. Thompson, the guardian OF
patriotism for the District OF CO.
lumbia. evidently is a messed back
dyed-in-the-wool. standpat Repub-
llcan. He seems to think the doc
trine of free trade is heresy, that
the press OF the country Is infal-
lible. that the captains OF industry
are guardian angels and that il is
blasphemous to criticise adversely
the press and the financial barons
OF the country. The following is
pure Bolshevism.' he says:
Clique of Wall Street bankers
practically managed the country
during Grants Presidency. and ever
since that time the great capitalists
who finance our railroads. our
mines. our oil fields. our steel mills
and our packing houses have ex-
pected and receive from Congress
immunlties which have made them
fabulously rich. and bred in many
OF them the belief that the govern
ment exists primarily for the pur-
pose of protecting and increasing
their wealth"
Then, pedantically he proceeds to
define socialism and was very sue
cessful in demonstrating ignorance
OF the principles Of socialism. He
who says that socialism means a
distribution of wealth among the
poor and that II teaches the poorer
classes to envy the rich knows
nothing OF socialism.
Mr.. Thompson and his kind would
have the youth of the land to dis
believe that Socialism has unjustly
been associated in the popular
mind with violence and revolution"
They would not have the youth of
the land to believe that the ballot
freely put into the hands of every
practical citizen Is the weapon for
peaceful revolution. They would. II
they could, inspire ancestor wor-
ship-a doctrine that retards and
stagnates. They would put an en-
barge on free investigation for
truth and have the children of to-
day. the voters Of tomorrow. believe
that every nook and corner OF the
field OF political science has been
explored and that il would be an
impossible task for anyone, how
ever honest of heart and keen Of
intellect. to ind out anything new
in the science Of government. They
would have the children believe that
the great Roosevelt and the distin-
Euished and honest La Toilette. and
Hiram Johnson. the giant of the
Golden West. were arch Bolshevists
whose doctrines are to be avoided
as a poisonous reptile. They would
change this great republic OF ours
with it's progressive Constitution
into an archaic monarchy. provided
they could be puppets Of the mon
archy. They would have the rising
generation to grow up and become
a bunch of lackeys and keep them
believing the powers that be" can
do no wrong.
I say let the flood gates OF truth
be lifted SO that even the embryonic
voters may battle in its waters and
bask in the sunlight of advanced
and progressive political philosophy.
The Bible says the truth shall
make you free. Let the children
have the pure. untarnished truth
although it does not come through
dogmatic channels from orthodox
sources. He who would have the
children. believe that there are no
political ills which can be alleviated
by free investigation and intelligent
voting is either dishonest or ut
terly ignorant of the recent history
of our government. Let the chill
dren have a high regard for the
fathers. but not at the expense or
the truth.