The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, January 13, 1919, Page 7

& ® Ny X ¥ Ny |2 ¢ o ‘abuses, revolt and revolution do not follow, uliless all éffbrts at reform by orderly and reasonable processes are throttled by un- fair or corrupt means. Therefore, when the American junker group and its newspapers attempt to outlaw and crush every at- _tempt at correcting the very apparent abuses which exist, they are contributing to, not taking steps to prevent, revolt and revolution. * Sensible capitalists understand this logic. Therefore, we have such expressions as the following, sent out as a bulletin to business men by Roger W. Babson, who conducts a statistical and informa- tion bureau for financiers and capitalists: The bolshevists tqday control Russia, They are spreading into Austria and neighboring territory. The Socialists today control Ger- many.- They are also strong in Italy,.France and elsewhere. History ' shows that these social epidemics—Ilike other epidemics—spread from nation to nation. America is sure to be hit. What will be the result? " The answer depends upon whether or not we are willing to profit ° by the real lesson of the war. If we are willing to let the brain and - manual “‘workers of this country peaceably retain the prestige and privileges which the war has given them—if we are williné- to run ~ the country in the interest of the producers of property _rather than the inheritors of property, then we can head off disaster. IF, HOW- EVER, THE FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND ALLIED NATIONS ATTEMPT TO RE- TURN TO PRE-WAR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, THEN THERE SURELY WILL FOLLOW AN EXPLOSION.: ; - We hold up this as a friendly. warning in the interests of honest property holders, and there are-many such who deserve protection. We, ourselves, dread the rule of the red flag, knowing it to be far more harmful to. all concerned than even a plutocratic rule. Manual - workers without honest leaders, who have not initiative, judgment and a sense of property rights, dre absolutely helpless. Let us not for one moment think that, this great war can stop without a reaction of some kind, and one equal in magnitude to the initial action. The law of equal and opposite reaction still rules the world. -Russia, the most autocratic nation, swung furthest to hideous socialism. Germany blew up next, simply because her masses were so completely suppressed. The people of America have not yet re- volted because they have not yet been suppressed. -America has been under the wise leadership of men who understand. But no men— however wise—can now prevent some great change from following this war.. The question is: Shall we all voluntarily give up some- - . thing, or shall we all run the risk of losing everything ? BOYCOTTING A STATE THERE aref very severe laws against organization of personal - Wil A - boycotts. It is against the law for an individual to damage any one’s business or property by organizing a boycott. Is it legal for a business institution or group of business institutions to deliberately and openly boycott a whole state, or rather all the farmers of a state? The Farmers’ and Mechanics’ Savings bank of Minneapolis has sent out letters to other bankers as follows: " " Gentlemen: : y We are informed that your company is investing in farm loans in North Dakota at a rate netting you, less than 6 per cent—this in spite of the fact that the.leaders of ‘the Nonpartisan league have rzcently declared that they propose to have the canvassing board de- clare the League amendments removing the constitutional debt limit . and enabling the state to engage in any industry, enterprise or busi- ness, and covering the single tax feature carried, although none of them received a majority under the constitutional provisions- of that~ - state. ; : Our institution for many years invested in North Dakota loans, but the attitude of the leaders of the political party now in power there during the past year and a half have been so revolutionary and radical that we have entirely withdrawn from same, and this course has been followed by practically all the loaning institutions in the Northwest. It seems to us that the trustees of large funds for in- vestment should carefully scrutinize the attitude of'leg'islation in states where they invest funds and that under the present condition ,- Which prevails in North Dakota there is no assurance. of safety to any outsideinvestor. 3 The statement that the North Dakota canvassing board de- clared constitutional amendments adopted in violation of the con- _ stitution is an unmitigated falsehood. -The amendments, which got majorities of 15,000 to 30,000, were declared passed in accord- ance with the constitution, as interpreted by the supreme court - long before the League was organized or the present farmer gov- ernment elected. If it is true that “practically all the loaning ‘institutions in the Northwest have withdrawn from North ‘Dakota,” it doesn’t seem to-have affected the state much. The state was never more pros-- perous. ; : Sh s __ - Notice the reference to 6 per cent as too little on a farm loan. It is true the farmers of North Dakota propose to establish a state - rural credit bank to make.loans to farmers at cost, but the Farm- ~ers’ and Mechanics’ bank of Minneapolis need not get excited:over - wgat, unless it is afraid of having its desire for its pound of flesh shown up Ao T R e el e - their former owners. bled. .of the administration. Sending troops into a country to interfere in its internal " affa : _ constitute a>viola1.jion_f of the doctrine of self—_t_letermigation?c L & _ CONTINUING RAILROAD OPERATION ECRETARY M’ADOO’S parting advice that the railroads be S kept on the .present basis for as long as five years, has oc- casioned nearly as much surprise as his resignation. The big press had explained this resignation on the ground that Mr. McAdoo took exception to the “socialistic” tendencies of the presi- dent. Now the departing McAdoo not only sanctions what railroad “socialism” the administration has forced up to the present but he urges its continuance. Although most of the common people would probably like to see full government ownership instituted at once, and so have an end of the matter, continuance of the present arrangements is about the most that can be hoped for with congress as it is. . Forced to make a straight decision between special interests and the peo- ple, our congress would undoubtedly hand the railroads back to Continuance of the present policy, on the other hand, while costing us the excessive guaranteed dividends, will promote eventual public awnership. % Each day finds the railroad properties more and more scram- All parts of railroad properties have been and are co-ordi- X FIVE ot ¥ . YEARS BACK MY RAIL ROADS, 7§ 2 LO.“O;O?—*. .-; 5 -"olmmlcu[:l)l nated into one great system so as to relieve freight congestion. The .longer the present system is kept up, thé more the former inde- pendent railroad systems will become mere parts of the one great system.” Five years from now, if we were to try to give the roads back to private owners, we would probably have to give them shares of stock in the one big system. The eider J. P. Morgan used to tell the department of justice that “it is-impossible to unscramble scrambled eggs,” and this remark is just as true of railroads brought together’ under the present government control as it was of the railroads which the financiers used to put together by stock manipulation. , ' Mr. McAdoo’s recommendation, however, should hardly be taken to show his interest in government ownership or the attitude Rather it is a feeler put out to see how the public stands. Politicians of both parties realize that govern- ment ownership will naturally be a big issue in 1920, and both wish to be on both sides of the fence at the same time. They want the old guard support and at the same time they need the- popular votes. By postponing the issue until after 1920, the fence-strad- . dling will be much easier for the politicians in the next election. THE RUSSIAN SITUATION ENATOR JOHNSON of California can not be accused of being S a bolshevik or of approving the “anarchy, murder and ter- rorism” which the daily press says the bolsheviki stand for. Yet Senator Johnson has introduced a resolution in the senate de- manding that the United States government explain the very ex- traordinary relations which exist between this country and Russia. The resolution demands that the original documents bearing on the ° Russian situation from prior to our intervention until the present be made public. The details of our agreement with the allies in regard to Russia are asked. Furthermore, the resolution points out that we are in a state of war with the Russian soviet repub- lic, that our soldiers are being killed and wounded there in battles, and yet we have never officially recognized that a state of war exists with Russia or the Russian soviet republic. The Constitu- tion of the United States provides that no declaration of war. can be maqle without consent of congress: : ’ As supplementary to Senator Johnson’s -demands, the Leader suggests the following questions: . : The United States is committed to the abolition of secret diplomacy and treaties. We have assured the world that that is one of our unalterable principles. Have we violated our promises in regard to secret treaties and diplomacy by concealing the agree- ments we have with the allies in regard to Russia? Have we vio- lated this principle by concealing the facts in connection with our relations with the soviet republic hefore intervention by us? ' The United States is committed to the principle of self-deter- ‘mination of all nations, big and.little. . We have assured the world - that that is one of our unalterable prin¢iples. ‘ Have we violated our self-determination doctrine by intervening iz Russia? Does affairs