Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-30
"IF 1 WERE KING"

There are a good many people who will sv1npa-
th1ze with President Bartholomew, of the Avery
company, in his detestation of acts of violence such
as that at Herrin, Illinois, who will nevertheless be
unable to follow him in his suggestion of remedies
to be applied. Mr.. Bartholomew tells us that if he
had been president during the past sixty days, he
would have brought John !. Lewis, president of the
miners union, before, him, by force, if necessary,
would have suggested to him that inasmuch as he
was unable to control his followers he had better
turn over his office to somebody else, and in the
meantime would have placed him behind the bars as
morally responsible for the Herrin massacre.
Mr.. Bartholomew is mistaken. If he had been
president he would not have proceeded as he sup
poses. Had he been car Of Russia. under the old
regime. of Frederick the Great. of Prussia. or anv
he might have done as he says. But had he beer,
president of the United States he would have pro-
ceeded differently.
Being a man OF intelligence, and, in the presi-
dental chair being charged with responsibility
which does not rest on him as a private citizen, he
would first have informed himself as to what author
ity he possessed under the law, and then, as a law
abiding citizen and a conscientious official, he would
have Proceeded according to law.
In the event that his passion got the better of
his judgment, and led him to attempt acts contrary
to law, he would have found the very agencies which
he had invoked turned against him. Courts would
have restrained him. Mars,als would have refused
to carry out his orders. And if he persisted, con-
gress would have impeached him for violating the
plain provisions of the. constitution which he was
sworn to uphold and defend.
There is % evidence to show that Mr.. Lewis
desired, counselled, or approved of the Herrin mas
sacre. But If there were such evidence, if it could
be shown that Lewis led the bloodthirsty mob in
person, and that with his own hand he had fred
some of the cowardly shots that killed defenseless
men, the president of the United States would have
no right to lay a finger on him, nor would any fed
eral court or officer have the right to start a pro-
ceeding against him.
The Herrin massacre was an outrage against
humanity. Legally it was an offense against the
state Of Illinois, Mr.. Bartholomew home state. It
was possible because there had grown I'D in that
particular section Of Illinois an indifference to law
which had ernboldened. the violent and terrorized
those who had no sympathy with violence. Local
officials were either timorous or in actual SYM
pathy with the criminals. State officials paltered
with the situation because they feared to- give Of
lis greatly desired. And the state Of Illinois Is
|cursed. with the. kind of administration that It han,
not because criminals and their sympathizers are
IN the majority, but because too many decent people
are mot interested in politics.
Just what effective measures the president Of
the United States could take to clear up the in.
|dustrizl situation IS not clear, There are some things
that II IS very certain he. cannot do. There are
things which, at times, any red blooded man would
ike 10 ddo,Sbut which he il restrained from attempt
ing becaise of his respect TOR the law 81 his country
But there ssSore thing that the private citizen no
matter whore his home or what his station, may as.
and which IL j. hiis dutyssfo dc, namely to make III.
own Influence felt to the fullest extent III thk seize.
ten of prblic Sofficisls who are both clean and
coiasAEscns. md who will regard that activity IL
SSFs