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The Commo
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
VOL. 13, NO. 21
Lincoln, Nebraska, May 30, 1933
Whole Number 65
Democracy on Trial
President Wilson is keeping his word in re
gard to New Jersey. When ho resigned the
governorship to enter upon his duties as presi
dent, he remarked that New Jersey was not
far from Washington and that he would return
if the "old gang" attempted to regain control
of the machinery of the state. The "old gang"
went to work as soon as he departed from Tren
ton, and it succeeded in preventing tho adop
tion of some of the reforms .which the party had
promised. True to his word, ho went back, and
he has been giving the country an illustration of
his fighting qualities. Ho does not mine mat
ters when he talks. He understands the polito
language used in diplomacy but ho also under
stands tho moro direct language employed in a
political fight He has left no doubt of his in
tention to live up to the responsibilities of citi
zenship in New Jersey as well as up to tho re
quirements of the national oflico to which his
country has elevated him.
He also understands that the democratic party
Is on trial and that it can not hope for a long
lease of power unless it makes good. Here are
his words:
"But I want to say a few words about tho
democratic party, I want everybody to realize
that I have not been taken in by the results of
the last national election. Tho country did not
go democratic in November. It was Impossible
to go republican because it could not tell which
kind of republican to go. The only hopeful and
united instrument through which it could ac
complish its purpose was tho democratic party.
There are certain things which wo want dono,
the country said, not certain persons elevated.
"There were cortain. things which wo wanted
demonstrated, such as that tho government of
the United States can not bo controlled by pri
vate interests. Now, tho democratic party is
going to have a try at making these things suc
cessful, and if it does not succeed we are not go
ing to havo another try."
He is wise In keeping tho facts boforo tho
public. Conditions becamo so bad that tho re
publican party, upon full consultation, docidod
that it was not competent to remedy them. Tho
leaders could not agree. Most of tho republi
cans admitted that something ought to bo dono,
but half of them thought that tho romedy pro
posed? was worse than the disease, so, by mutual
consent, they agreed to turn tho job over to
tho 'democrats. They went through tho form
of fighting each other tho two factions did
but they must havo known that tho division
made it impossiblo for either sido to win. They
thus confessed that whatever reformation was
necessary must bo left for tho democrats to de
vise and bring about.
With a clear understanding of his task, Presi
dent Wilson has undertaken tho work, and that
ho is succeeding admirably, most of tho republi
cans even will admit. Ono suro proof of tho
acceptibility of his efforts Is found In the fact
CONTENTS
DEMOCRACY ON TRIAL
JINGO JOURNALISM
SECRETARY DANIELS' INTERVIEW
THE PRESIDENT'S GREAT SPEECH
AT NEWARK
SECRETARY McADOO'S GOOD WORK
HOW THE INCOME TAX WILL OPERATE
WORK OP THE ECONOMY AND EFFI
CIENCY COMMISSION AT WASHINGTON
CURRENT TOPICS
THE GRASTY DINNER AT WASHINGTON
HOME DEPARTMENT
NEWS OF THE WEEK
WASHINGTON NEWS
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FOR OUR DRAB MAY 30
I.
Flowers for our dead!
The delicate wild roses faintly red.
The valley lily bells as purely white
As shines their honor in tho vernal light,
All blooms that be
As fragrant as their fadeless memory.
By tender hands entwined and garlanded,
Flowers for our dead!
II.
Praise for our dead I
For those that followed and for those
that led,
Whether they felt death's burning ac
colade When brothers drew the fratricidal
blade
Or closed undaunted eyes
Beneath the Cuban or Philippine skies,
While waves our bravo bright banner
overhead
Praise for our deaxll
III.
Love for our dead!
O hearts that droop and mourn, be
comforted I
The darksome path through the abyss
of pain,
The final hour of travail not in vain,
For Freedom's morning smile
Broadens across tho seas from Isle to
isle.
By reverent lips lot this fond word bo
said
Love for our dead I
Collier's Weekly.
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that tho republican factions are not able to act
together to obstruct bin plans. But the promise
of success Is tho greater because tho president
understands that the democratic party Ib on
trial, and that tho samo inexorable law that
drovo tho republican party from power when Its
subBorvioncy to Wall street became fully under
stood, will oporato for tho overthrow of tho
domocratlc party If that party permits special
privilego and private interests to dull its sen
sibilities and defeat its high purposes. It Is
fortunato for tho party and for tho country as
woll, that tho nation's president has such a clear
appreciation of tho work to which he has been
callod.
THE POWER BEHIND THE JINGO PAPERS
Spoaking on the subject of war, boforo tho
Washington Peaco Boclety, Saturday, May 18,
Mr. Bryan said:
"War is In tho Interest of a few people, not
of all. Tho profltB are garnered by a fow, while
tho masses pay tho taxes. A few men gain
glory, while tho mothers of the nation furnish
tho sons who mako food for battlefields.
"Baok of much of the furore for War Is a sel
fish Interest in tho manufacture of battle ships.
Thoro are men so uhpatrlotlc that they try to
stir up trouble in another country against their
own so as to raako personal profit tuefefrora.
"Tho people are learning to discriminate be
tween patriotic newspapers and those that seek
only for big headlines'
THE PRESIDENT IN NEW JERSEY
On another page will be found a. speech
delivered by President Wilson la New Jersey
In support of the reforms outline In his plat
form, It Is comirieiUed to the reader net only
because of the Ikfwrmitloh wklca it give o
tho issue coVefedi Mi feee&tiie U illustrate the
high purpose ot it jtfesldeitt a4 4ie rhil-
private cilteea wjiikft dischami to daUetf of
Jingo Journalism
Hereinafter will bo found an interview re
contly given out by "Secretary Daniols of the
navy department. It Is timely and to the point.
The recklessness with which the sensational
newspapers, not only of this country but through
out tho world, deal with International questions,
passes the limit of patience. They are not only
Indifferent to tho truth and oblivious to facia,
but thoy misconstrue, wherever misconstruction
is possible, the words ot individuals and the
actions of governments.
Tho newspaper item referred to by Secretary
Daniels is only one of many illustrations of the
Injury that can bo dono by trouble-loving edi
tor or reporter. We arc told that tho pen, In
tho hands of ono entirely great is mightier than
tho sword, but what shall we say of It when it
Is in the hands of ono devoid ot patriotism or
senso ot responsibility?
In time ot war, the man who betrays his gov
ernment into the handB of the enemy, Is guilty
ot treason. Can ho be entirely guiltless who In
time of peaco deliberately attempts to plunge
his country into war by the circulation ot un
truthful and Inflammatory rumors?
In our criminal courts Indifference to human
life Is punlBhed, as well as premeditated as
saults. Can he escape tnoral responsibility for
his brother's blood who, for a few dollars, fans
tho flames of passion and excites hostility be
tween nations?
There Ib another kind of Journalism scarcely
Iobb reprehensible than misrepresentation. It
Ib tho discussion of hypothetical questions
where the discussion Is calculated to arouse 111
will. All sorlB of Imaginary situations are con
jured up and public ofllclals besieged with ques
tions concerning conditions that havo not arisen
and may never arise. The official can not answer
the questions without groBB Impropriety, and
yet his refusal to answer them Ib often made tho
baBls of speculation and even taken as an admis
sion that the questions are under consideration.
The dlBeaBC is a serious oho; is It not time for
tho public conscience to address Itself to It? Is
it not time for public opinion to bring Its ln
fluenco upon It?
HEOItETAIlY DANII5IB' INTERVIEW
The Washington Post prints the following:
IlarrasBed by frequent queries directed to him
with a view to confirming stories dealing with
the Callfornla-Japancfle question which have
recently been published in certain newspapers,
conveying the Idea that this country was on the
brink of war, and bending Its efforts to prepare
for tho struggle, Secretary of the Navy Daniels
attacked the publications which pursue such a
policy.
"Their aim' he said, "has been to manufac
ture a war, and In their effort to accomplish
this purpose they aro not only exciting tho radi
cal elements In this nation, but conveying an
erroneous impression to the outside world, in
cluding Japan."
As a result of the persistent attempt of these
papers to construe every act of the war and navy
departments as a move In preparation of war,
Secretary Daniels said that he had ordered every
ship In the Pacific ocean to hold its present
anchorage. The movement of one, he said,
would call forth a hundred different stories,
In tho course of his comment he said:
"War scares; reports that this government is
facing a crisis because of the California-Japanese
situation, and Is hastily preparing for an inter
national struggle; the repeated statements that
the truth of the affair has be& witaaeid, aad
the public deceived by the admiahkralfcm ' mi
justified only M far as the yeblle will pentffc-
ltseii to m mw& y tne imae-ttakj pwiter
of a certain ami unscrupul
!re' .
"If tkere Mad been even
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