Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1940-09-05
The Mail Bag
My dear Mr.. Editor:

Where are those men who
urged that we balance the bud
get? Not long ago was the time
when almost every propertied
group in the United States was
demanding that we limit expense
in government.
Now, / hear only dying echoes
of the thunderous storm that once
ragged for economy. Those same
interests today are supporting
the bill for conscription.
When several years ago, we
set up plans to feed the poor,
to help the farmer and to assist
the underprivileged, persons of
influence and property shouted,
"You will wreck the government.
Why don't you balance the bud
get q" When we enacted legisla-
tion governing the wages and
hours of labor in factories, allow
ing for collective bargaining be-
tween employer and employee,
with at least some semblance of
democracy, there were those who
cried against RECOMMENDATION" by
"big Government" Those same
men coiled under the tyranny"
of requiring that a wage of 25
cents per hour be paid to work
ing man.
Now, these men and these
groups are applying pressure for
the passage of the Burke Wads-
worth selective service measure.
We have already appropriated
$18,000,000,000 to organize and
equip military force. That is
a sum too large to be grasped
by the mind of man. The great
property interests are silent in
their approval. To spend money
to feed our people will, wreck
the government" To spend it to
prepare to wage war is "realis-
TIC" To enact legislation to
place limits on the hours of labor
and to require minimum rates of
pay, and to allow workers to
have their own organizations and
their own officers-all this is
RECOMMENDATION" and tyranny"
But to register 100000
young men between the ages of
81 and 81; to do this without
a vote; to do it without even
survey of their own opinions; to
thus render them liable to be
taken from their homes and their
jobs, at any time during period
of fifteen years; to make it such
that they can be lifted out of
their civil rights and be placed
under the military rules of
court martial where freedom of
speech, freedom of assembly and
freedom of the press are not
recognized; to dress them in uni
forms and teach them the tech
niques of killing their fellow
man-all this is to adopt a pol
icy which according to General
Shedd is, $50 fair, so just and so
democratic" that it is to be pre-
ferred over a recruited army,
regardless of whether we can
procure the men by voluntary
enlistments."
This is not to say that de-
mocracy is free from grave dan
ger. Indeed, / seek to empha-
size the contrary. When men
who say that the proposed selec-
tive service bill is, $50 demo-
cratic and so just" are in high
positions of influence in the last
remaining great democracy on
earth, then | respectfully submit
the citizens of that community
have cause for deep concern.
Bountiful evidence can be pro-
duced to show that these men
either do not understand or do
not love democracy. Space does
not permit of extensive documen-
tation but it is clear that the mo-
tives behind many of those who
lead the vanguard in the cam
paign for conscription fall in one
or both of these categories:
First, desire to help WELD the
power in vast adventure in the
militarization of America, and
second, the willingness to sacri-
flee the lives of as many young
Americans as they think neces-
sary to protect the extensive
property interests held by few
of our people.
This is not to take the view
that all persons of property and
influence are insincere in their
homes tn take measures to pro-