The Alaska daily empire., 1922-08-22
TIME AND PLACE FOR CRITICISM.

One of the remarkaDe, in all respects edi- orials appearing during the present labor crisis was written by William Allen White and appeared in his Emporia (Kansas) Gazette It entitled ''To an Anxious Friend'-the anxious friend" being Gov. Henry Allen who had caused the arrest of MT. White on the charge of crticisng the Industrial Relations Court of Kansas in manner tending to excite de- fance of the law contrary to the express provisions the law. The editorial said:
 You tell me that law is above freedom
 of utterance. And 1 reply that you
 have wise laws unless there is tree
 pression of the wisdom of the peope-and,
 alas! their folly with it. But if there is
 freedom folly vii die of it's own poison
 and the wisdom will survive You say that
 freedom of utterance is for time of
 stress. and l reply with the sad truth that
 only in time is freedom of uterance
 in danger. No questions it in calm days,
 because it is not needed And the reverse is
 true also only when free utterance is sup
 pressed is 1t needed, and when it is needed
 it is vital justice. This State today
 is in more danger from suppression than from
 violence because in the end suppression leads
 to violence. Violence, indeed, is the child of suppression. Whoever pleads for justice
 helps to keep the peace
 Dear friend. put fear cut of your heart.
 This Nation will survive this State will
 prosper the orderly business of life will
 forward, if only speak in whatever
 way given them to utter what their hearts hold-by voice, by posted card, by letter or press. Reason has failed men. Only
 force and oppression have made the wrecks
 in the world.
 Fundamentally. of course, Mir White is sound But MT. White should not forget that Governor Allen chosen by the people of Kansas execute laws made by the people of Kansas their representatives He is not hereditary monarch. He holds no Divine right" commission to rule He is under oath and contract with the people to enforce their laws. The people of Kansas have made a law establishing Industrial Relations Court, and the law provides ac- cordng the lawyer chosen by the people of Kansas ha tha n,n- lications. utterances other demonstrations that would tend to excite the people to defiance of the laws or the acts of the Industrial Relations Court.
 Does not this suggest that MT Whites day to show his contempt for the law and the court which he would have abolished would be when the time appeal to the people of Kansas to change lawmakers and executives? They do that at frequent intervals in Kansas-every years We must have efficient government. Cant we have it if newspapers and people urge others defy majority made laws and jority chosen executives in time of crisis? We have established self-government in this country-in the States and of the Territories-wih the puT in view of preserving liberty including the free ccm of the and free speech but with safeguards that will insure competent government. We cannot have competent government unless those chosen-by the people and for brief periodsare given authority to suppress defiance of law executive action within the law in time of crisis. Criticism the laws and those chosen to them-is always in order and we have provided stated times when the people are called upon approve dsapprove of laws and the executives when press and people given free reign to exercise free speech and freedom in writing to their hearts content. This is far dnerert from defiance melting defiance of laws, courts and executives Whether not MT. White has defed the laws the courts the executives of Kansas, melted defiance contrary to law, do not know. We shall assume that he has not for is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is proved. But MT White discussed the principle the facts. involved in his own case in the admirable, both in principle and pression-but misapplied- editorial here quoted.