Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-12-26
Tuesday, December 26, 1922.
INTOLERANCE, OLD AND NEW


writes for the January "Harper's
Magazine" slashing attack on 1.-THE
spread Of the mob spirit of in
tolerance" in this country. She says
she shrinks from calling herself I'M
patriotic yet the fact remains there
are not the same things to be patri-
otto about. For patriotism is more
than an emotional adherence in time
OF stress to a familiar flag, more than
blind allegiance to the soil Of ones
birth. It is approval of, understand
ing of, deliberate loyalty to, ones ma
tive institutions, and when the thing
that you were consciously faithful to
alters, you can no longer, in the
same way be faithful"
This is quite free speech. though.
she proceeds to criticise on the
ground that free speech is being de-
MED. Apparently she does not differ
entiate between opportunity for free
speech and the unwiilngncss of some
to take advantage of it under certain
conditions. She would have us i'm
agine a public official indulging in
expression of an opinion running
counter to popular prejudice. 1t
would seem what She would. have is
not so much "free speech as the
backbone to make use of it. The
public official has the opportunity for
.flee speech but is afraid that he
wouldn't remain for long public
!of1icial if he made use of his oppor-
.tunity. Why, in the past men have
. risked their lives to get the oppor-
tunity which today is free to those
who will accept the risk, not of life
and limb, in time of peace, nor of,
liberty. but at risk Of some of the
comfort and popularity they would
retain. They are pusillanimous and
their tribe is already too large.
The writer does touch upon
tendency which is becoming intoler-
able in some degree. There are To-
.calities where the expression of
opinion is under the censorship of
masked Ku Klux; few forums, she
says are open to those who believe
in the Jewish peril and she rebels
against the influence of the Anti
Soloon League in Congress, but
surely this is far from as severe as
the power of the whskey trust in the
old days of which she is so proud.
She tells us that I'm kentucky,
statement of a belief in evolution is
becoming Improbable If not danger
GUS" But in the good old days" it
wasn't always safe to tell the truth
about such a colossal iniquity as
slavery, though there were those who
told it, nevertheless, and paid the
penalty with their lives-and the
truth prevailed.
- 1t may surely be questioned
whether in this country there may
anywhere be found the restrictions
on free speech that existed when a
slave oligarchy dominated the ma
tional Government. But of those who
would indulge in free speech have we
those today who are of the fiber of
Lovejoy and a Lincoln? We have
faith to believe they exist but perhaps
are not writing about it at so much
per column. This country, notwith-
standing it's cliques, Kluxes and blocs
yet has room for those who have
something worth saying and the
courage to say it. With profit some
conditions might be borrowed from
the past and among these we think
of the spirit Of fearless independence,
the high resolve to say that which
may need to be said regardless of
consequences. At heart now, as ever,
the world is sure to admire the fear
less and If it comes to a realization
they speak the truth. is ready to
render tribute, though. unfortunately,
the rendering may be from post
mortem judgment.
In his last message President
Harding recognized the change that
IS taking place. There never again
win be precisely the old order" and
he added, and we would commend 1t
to the attention Of Mrs. Gerould: "in-
deed know Of no one who thinks It
to be desirable" But he did say
that We have come to the test Of our
civilization, 50 it would seem criti-
cism and suggestions for improve
ment are timely. but they should be
well founded, for there is much which
should be considered and the world is
inclined to be hasty and impatient, in
respect to which conditions the old
,s5EG
TROUBLED WITH WEAK KIDNEYS
..- Have been troubled with weak kid
0ey3 since Childhood" writes Mrs G.