.' if ' -1Tv ""ar-' v . ' r mif Commoner - B BBRUAR3r,-1918 3 ST2I 1 TO "vsTC'iidnfi " WMy W$it j r ' ' -- IV t '$ ' 4 - J "a ;1 friends ot the saloon protest against rat ion, of i. the nat!6nal amendment by leglsla- NOW in session. "They have no mandate is,, the "people," shout the liquor interests r-do not need it T,he saloon is not a new Lution; its evils are as well known today leywJJl bo one, -two or ten years hence. It iown thafe. -.the ; people are against the sa- They.. are- against it even when the en ment of the law is by small units; they are more unanimously against it when the law . lft Anfnrnofl lif n lni(vni4 urttl TMTM.1 fnimy jjuw euui,u uj t luigci uuiii auuiu j.utu ity option than favor town option. More r state prohibition than favor county option, still more favor national prohibition. The ter the unit .the more sura .the enforcement. Postponement Iwilt not prevent, ratification Srjll simply enable the liquor dealers to col- ,a imuqn or -two more irom me American )le. JNO'tvme .should be lost. The amend- it should be .ratified at the earliest possible ien W. J. BRYAN. A, CONFESSION V.tiR k 'JKi 3s9H9D ne of. the arguments made against the rati- ion of the national amendment is that pro- tion, once put into the constitution, can er be taken, out. Why? It can be taken out "jujeasily as it 'can be put in. It requires two- as or ootn nouses ana three-fourths 01 the es to put prohibition into the federal con- ution, and two-thirds of both houses and ee'-foufths of the states can take it out. en the opponents of prohibition admit that hibition can not be taken out of the constltu- they simply confess that they know its cess will 'be -'so complete as to silence com- int an unanswerable argument in favor of f amendment. . --A REASONABLE REQUEST hp United gate's can not, of course, regulate saloons in lireat juntam ana trance: neitner this country refuse to furnish breadstuffs to Allies, even though they wojcse than waste Wftrt of it by turning it over to breweries and stilleries, but co'ngress might respectfully sug- - .tiwmt that our neoDle are denying themselves in "", -"fiSor to furnish food for the. fighters at the nt, and express the hope that the food will conserved for that purpose.. Our allies Ight, at least, compel their liquor dealers to jpect our law forbidding the sale of intoxi- ints to American soldiers. W. J. BRYAN. r. i H fl PEACE PROSPECTS The Bolsheviki propaganda is threatening uistrla and Germany. Labor is in revolt and 10 harsh measures adoptod to suppress it only sake more sure the final overthrow of the mil iary party. The toilers of Europe, more and lore appalled by the growing war burden, ire joking to peace as the only hope of escap6 trom endless servitude. An earthquake is -ahead ind the rulers are becoming alarmed. No one an tell how near the end may be but iiritil ft iomes every American must stand by trip goy- srnment ana oe reaay to maKe any sacrince tnat hnay be required. BAKER'S DEFENSE On another page will be found the reply hmade by Secretary Baker to Senator Chamber- rlain's criticism. It is more than complete it 'gives the secretary a stronger position than he occupied before the attack. He has not only si lenced criticism .but he has taught 'his critics a llesson. They will hereafter know better than to make public letters of complaint without first consulting the war department as to the facts. A friend of the administration would do this without waiting for a lesson. CAN NOT SERVE TWO MASTERS Press dispatches "indicate that some of, the government buyers have been purchasing of themselves. They.' have been, of course com paratively few,. in. number, bat,tthere .should, be npne. The Bible says that no man can servp two masters, and it is not ,safe, to ignore the Bible even when, patriotism ..reduces -selfishness .to a minimum. "The. nation's, agents should, b above suspicion, and they can not be so rqngjgi they deal with themselves. W. J. BRYANT" g . 0 WAR SAVINGS Thrift Stamps and War Savings Stamps are the most democratic of In vestments and America expects every American to Bhow love of republican in-' stitutions by Investing in this demo cratic security. Tho aggregate amount of the investments and the number of investors in these war savings secur ities are in a way the answer of the people of this great democracy to the call of the cause of democracy through out the world and the vindication of civ ilization and humanity. They afford every person, however humble and however small his means, the- opportunity to contribute his part, to do his bit, in this groat struggle against the military masters of Germany who seek to dominate the world in con tempt of justice and right and freedom and . without conscience and without mercy. Surely every American desires to have a part in the defeat of autocracy and tho success of liberty and right. Thrift Stamps and War Savings Stamps may bo purchased at any bank or postoffice anywhere in the United States. Buy Thrift Stamps for every member of tho fa.nlly. WOMAN'S CONSCIENCE VINDICATED Woman's conscience has been vindicated. She favored prohibition because the saloon is an evij. She feared the dram shop as instinctively as one. fears a snake. For years man's Judg ment supported the' saloon. He thought it brought business to the town, and business. rea sons outweighed the conscience. But the con science has triumphed and now the .men find, to their surprise, that prohibition is better for business. If woman had been allowed to vote the sa loon would have gone long ago and the country would have had the benefits of prohibition sooner. This is only one instance; there are other evils to be remedied, and woman's con science will be helpful in these, reforms. Welcome, woman suffrage. A QUESTION OF VERACITY As Lloyd-George and Congressman McGormick differ widely as to what tho former told tho lat ter, it might be worth while for the senate mil itary committee to investigate the question of veracity,. How can we hope to reach tho max imum of efficiency with our great military' lead ers' so wide apart on the facts? SITUATION QUITE DIFFERENT . Tho situation in the United State!. Jsf quite different from the situation in Europe when, the cbmbinatlon cabinets were formed. But' a s'mall part of our man power has been called-i-but a few billions have been' boVrowed. We do ' pot have tti resort to the desperate expedient of rev olutionizing our official machinery. i Recent events would seem to indicate that Kaiser Wilhelm has dikcbvered there is no royal road to peace, either. " GIBBONS DENOUNCES "DRY" AMENDMENT A Baltimore, Md., dispatch, dated Feb. 5, says: In strong, and decisive language Cardinal Gibbons,, denounced the national prohibition amendment aijd declared that legislators of the states should .not bow to the "fanaticism that seems to be rulipg us in this respect." He declared that some of the law , makers seemed to be acting through cowardice in going against their strong convictions and giving their vote for the amendment when- it is brought up. "I feel said the cardinal, "that it the amend ment is ratffieJL jnere wjft spring upt in all parts of This country ijiiit stilly that will manufacture a. low grade i)t wjhlskythat will do' more harm than tho goo'd . gjade jfp doing. Beer ( and flight wines wJll pass oit' of existence. ;, 4" . ;"i,t.will be a calamity ifthis amendment Is adopted. ' It will be only a step in th'eLabridff merit of other liberties that we enjoy." Wealth Must Bear Its Share Congress is called upon to raise more taxes. How will It apportion tho burden? At'vcr Wealth must bear Its share. Congress has done well In this respect, but it must do better. Th& Income tax should be Increased' and he excess profits tax should be made heavier. Tho soldier' gives his ALL; he puts up his principal, even llfo itself. Why should anyono bo allowed, to grow rich out of war profits while the raaiscu stint thomselyes to carry on the war? Al ABOVE A REASONABLE PROFIT would 'not. equal-the tax now collected on blood. A W. J. BRYAN. ' THE DEMOCRATS LEADING m With a majority of tho democratic states "dry, with three-fourths of the democratic 'oc'natora and two-thirds of the democratic congressmen' voting for national prohibition, and M'ssissipplr Virginia, Kentucky and South Carolina thT first to ratify, tho democratic party is leading the' fight for tho abolition of the saloon. BACK UP WILSON, BRYAN URGES . i From Tho Virginian-Pilot, Jan. 31. ' ' William Jennings Bryan, former secretary ot stato, struck a note of patriotism in his address at tho Y. M. C. A. last night that thrilled anil enthralled his audience. -He spoke before a gath ering that filled J.ho gymnasium to. overflowing on "The Prince of Peace." Championing Christianity, and urging the ne cessity of a firm belief I;i the Almighty God, the Nebraska statesman prefaced his spiritual lec ture with a ringing appeal to Americans to stand behind the President of tho country in this hour of need. , . Spontaneousloutbursts of applause that mani fested the true feelings of tho typically American audience interrupted the great commoner of the west as he drove home his facts. No greater assurance could bo given that Norfolk was be hind the country to a man. Tho simple, force ful language of Mr. Bryan, devoid entirely of fig ures of speech, impressed all who heard him. BRYAN OFFERS SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT In an editorial In "The Commoner," William Jennings Bryan offers something new as a work ing plan for government ownership of the rail road systems. "Tho Dual Plan," ho calls it, and contrasts its advantages with that of direct fed eral ownership in an interesting way. As he has done many times before, Mr. Bryan has offered in the editorial some food fo'r thought. Thinking people all over the country will cqn sider his suggestions, not only from the stand point of "pro-Bryan" and "anti-Bryan" sym pathy, but with the thought of economic ' ad vantage to the country. For the people of the United States are at last awakening to the need for intelligent and unbiased study of economic conditions and economic remedies. Miami, Fla., Metropolis. v Judging from only a superficial analysis of the matter, we are of the" opinion that tho kais er's method of requiring workmen to secure a license from him' to strike is likely to result in Germany's chief manufacturing industry becom ing that of making bolsheviks. MARYLAND HOUSE PASSES PROHIBITION AMENDMENT ! An Annapolis, Md., dispatch, dated Feb. '8, says: The house of delegates today passed the resolution ratifying the federal prohibition amendment by a vote of 58 to 36. The resolu tion has reached the third reading stage in the senate and its final passage by that body is vir tually assured, probably Within the next few days. Henry Clay had only half of Mr, Bryan's joy. He never became president though he may have been Vjght. But comes the U. S. and virtually acknowledges a part 'of the silver theory of the. "Orator of the Platte, and actually nationalizes the railroads.Tho Chicago New World. , fc.A-jft,4.i.ri5Uk. kwvW; ..&,