Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1925-07-03
: Comment and Criticism

Observation-Disclosures.
1t is automatic that when a pendu-
lum swings far upward its return will
carry it far in the opposite direction.
We are now experiencing an un-
happy swing from freedom and high
ideals to intellectual slavery and sof-
didness.
The zeal of the bigot and the OPP
preston of the intolerant reaches a
high pitch. Religious freedom Is de-
MED. Reversions to fanaticism are
threatened. Heresy hunters are
eagerly alert. The spirit of the
faggot and the rope is shown in wide
spread places.
Our national pendulum has swung
far from the high point of enthusi-
asm and patriotism of the days of
1917 and 1918. The resurgency dates
from the days of the immolation of
ideals of Woodrow Wilson on the altar
of political greed trickery and am
bition.
We have passed through a period
of most shameless bribery and graft
and corruption in high places. We
are paying and shall continue to pay a
| high price for our mental Incidence
ignorance, indifference and failure to
act intelligently in the worlds crisis
We have yet to learn what price
victory of a war won without insis-
tence on advancement of great prin-
cinles.
President Coolidge is spending the
summer months in consistent effort
to induce the American people To for
get about Washington. He thinks
Washington gets entirely too much at
tention.
In his Memorial Day address the
President dwelt upon the importance
of watching local government more
and national government less. This
is all very interesting, and to some
extent it is sage advice.
But ii is possible to give Washing
ton too much leeway. 1t is possible
to favor Washington with too much
absent treatment.
When intelligent Americans see
what is happening to the Federal
Trade Commission, with its new secre-
cy program, it is inclined to think
that perhaps there is such thing as
letting Washington alone too much.
When those same Americans see
what is happening to the tariff COM
mission, they think perhaps it is pos
sible to give Washington too much OF
| the road.
Americans who believe in democ,
raey do not want the Federal Govern
ment to become an oveLlordShip ol
/ bureaus. They do not want a mas
| sive bureaucracy on the Potomac
But they do want efficient and homes
| government suitable to the civiliZa
ton in which we live, able TO protec
the people against the iniquities Incl
dent to modern industrial and pohti
cal organization. And they know tina
| somebody besides professional poll
tieians must keep an eye on Washing
ton.
1t is sensible enough to ''let Wash
ington alone" to certain extent, bu
as long as it is the capital of tn,
United States and as long as the grea
vested interests are on the job ever,
minute, most Americans will prefe
at least TO keep a weather eye open Il
what goes on at the two eXtfemitie
of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Teapot Dome goes to Sinclair, say
the court. And promptly Sinclai
stocks go up-and Sinclair make
some more money.
One court says Doheny cant hav,
Elk Hills. Another court says Sin
clair can have Teapot Dome. Cour,
are queer things.
The Supreme Court will have tn,
last word on both cases.
Meanwhile the people wait and won
| der.
Meanwhile, also, Albert b. Fal
! didn't do anything wrong when ht
turned Teapot Dome over to Sinclair
That's another feather in Mr.. Fall,
cap, which is already fairly vel
feathered.
Most of Us however, would rather
not have that kind Of feathers.
But out of it all this much stand,
clear, regardless Of any court or al
/ the courts:
Teapot Dome once belonged to IN,
people set aside as a naval reserve
so that the navy might have oil il
| the event of some great nationa
emergency. Now that oil does no
belong to the people. II belongs t,
Mr.. Sinclair. That is clear.
! 4 Whether Mr.. Fall and Mr.. Denb,
mad technical legal right to turl
That great deposit over to Mr.. Sinclair
the courts will finally decide. On,
court has said they had the right.
But this the people know: Ono,
they owned that oil; now they do no
own it. And perhaps when. and j
they ever get it back, it will in tia
remote day not be worth having!