The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1922-12-29

other nations engaged in the Great
War have outdistanced us in forgiv-
ing those who expressed their opin-
ions and views in derogation of the
war. Their political prisoners were
released long ago. We still hold in
prison those who are guilty of no
crime save that which the eXigencies
of the war seemed to justify as
/ crime, to wit, the expression of opin-
ion, the criticism of government. We
saw fit to pass a drastic law and in
my opinion, an unjustly drastic law
practically forbidding the discussion
cuton of the war. Although it was
a war measure and could only have
been passed as a war measure. vet
long after the war is over, we deprive
many of their liberty for that which
in peace times would pass utterly dis
regarded. All this illustrates. not
only our Indifference to the great
guarantees and privileges of the peo-
pie under our Constitution but it dis
closes a spirit of intolerance such as
we have never before exhibited.
Frederick the Great once saw a
crowd staring at something on the
wall. He made inquiry and found it
was scurrilous placard against him.
He directed that the placard might
be placed more conveniently that all
might read. But under our form of
government. dedicated to the prin-
ciples of free speech and free press.
men must rust and rot in prison be-
cause of criticisms or adverse views
touching the vices or policies of the
| highly wrought and sensitive souls
who perchance, were custodians of
peoples liberty for a brief season. 1t
has been said, and well and truly
said that YOU may chain down every
other human right, but if YOU leave
the right of speech free, it will un-
chain the rest While all lips were
silenced during the war and all minds
| subdued or terrorized, such riot Of
extravaganza, of shameless waste. of
| graft. took place as no country has
ever before witnessed. If anything
demonstrates the imperishabe worth
of complete tolerance in speech and
Of political opinions, it is the story of
! this war.
The people are loaded with not only
millions but, in nv Judgment. billions
| of dollars. because no one dared to
| denounce those who cloaked them-
selves as patriots and filled their
rockets while the country was in
| peril. Let us. therefore in this
| country demand that intolerance of
political views shall never Obtain and
| that the presidents of the war shall
be pushed into oblivion and disre-
partled at once and remorselesS1v
| Nothing is ever pained nv danvinr
the utmost freedom of discussion m,
on all political questions. After its
submission and before its adontion =
COPY of the Constitution of the Irni-
ted States was burned nnbliclv at a.
banv and in Rhode Island 4 thous-
! and armed men. headed bv the Iudgo
of the State S11nreme Court deniel /
the public the right to discuss The
| Constitution favorablv 70 its adon-
tion. We find in almost ava,y, u,eat
crisis of world history those pathetic
figures who would stav tbe trenJ Of
human thought Inv silenrin@ b,,n,an
! Inns. ''''''''
America was settled nv tbosa SOCK
ing intellectual liberty. The United
States has been the ASYLUM for nrac.
ticallv all peoples and tongues Fate
and circumstances seemed to dedicate
this Continent to an experiment in
government grounded in the utmost
| freedom of thought and the greatest
liberalitv of opinion. An the nations
of Europe have sent here mon anf
women Who accented orr institutions
contributed through brain and hrayr
to the DEVELOPMENT of our preat ma.
tural wealth and entered into and be.
came a part of on, national life
Regardless of race or nationalit,
they became part of the MIGHTY
whole which now constitutes ths
American people. Here have oath.
cred all races. all creeds. ali religions
all customs, to be welded into some.
thing new, distinct and nermanent
The Constitution in it's sublime omar.
antees of civil liberty protects al
alike-it recognizes neither creed no,
race,