I
The
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WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
V .. V '
VOL. 19, NO. 8 ,";
Lincoln, Nebraska, August, 1919
Whole Number 724
Ratify and Resolve President Demands Drastic Laws to
As tho time goes on and the senators unload
thoir speeches, ratification seems more certain.
Precedents are being considered and precedents
usually control.
When the federal constitution was adopted
eome of the state's hesitated about ratifying, but
finally ratified and contented themselves with
proposals for FUTURE CHANGES which they
proceeded to secure. This was wise. They were
ablo to make their fight for changes without as
suming responsibility for defeat of tho consti
tution. So in 1898;' ,the anti-imperialistsvobjocted to
accepting the Philippine Islands from, Spain, but
instead of assuming the responsibility for tho
defeat of the treaty they voted for ratification
and made their fight on a resolution declaring
the nation's purpose. The fight contiuuqd for
sixteen years an'd 'ended n tile passage, of a
resolution prrifitol
The situationds exactly the samdjTlie
republicans "cariftlSt afford to assumeC-lue respon
sibility for the defeat of the treaty-. They are
much stronger if they ratify and -then proceed &
to make a fight for such changes in the cove
nant as they desire. These changes can be pro
posed by our delegates when the-league meets.
If this nation cannot secure the changes it de
sires it can withdraw from tho league if it
chooses. It can in all probability secure any
reasonable changes and it would not withdraw
unless a very reasonable change was refused.
RATIFY and RESOLVE is the wy out. That
gives us ratification of the treaty and establish
ment of the League of Nations and still leaves
the way open to secure such changes as .are
desired. - W. J. BRYAN,
Stop Profiteering
'.
President Wilson's address to congress, August
8, embodying recommendations to atop profiteer
ing and reduce the cost of living, follows:
Gentlemen of tho Congress: I have sought
this opportunity to address you because it is
clearly my duty to call your attention to the
present cost of living and to urge upon you with
all the persuasive force of whjch I am capablo
the legislative measures which would bo most
effective in controlling it and bringing it down. '
The prices the people of this country are paying
for everything that is necessary for them to use
in order to live are not justified by a shortage
in supply either present pr prospective, and are
in many cases artificially and deliberately
cv.e
Mt
tMikXiciOM.PJSes.wMcUiPUght immedK ftt,
RcTTeclced by . law. They" ccmBtitufo-'a-
'
utcjy io
burdenqpbftB"c5Vhi9hJsA1tix6'fo ulibJarab;lQ 'be--
cause we Know uiui it jb wiiuuny iuiijubcu mj
those who have the power and that it can by
vigorous public action be greatly lightened and
made to square with the actual conditions of
supply and demand. Some of tho methods by
which these prices are produced are already
illegal, some of them criminal and thoso who
employ them will be energetically proceeded
against but others have not yet boon brought
under the law and should bo dealt with at oncei
by legislation.
PRACTICES FAMILIAR TO ALL
I need not rcclto tho particulars of thin critical
mattor; tho prices demanded and paid at tho
sources of supply, at the factory, in food markots,,
at! tho shops, In the restaurants and hotols, alike
in the city and in tho village. They aro familiar'
to you. Thoy urc the talk of every domestic
circlo and of every group of casual acquaint
ances even. It is a matter of familiar knowlcdgo
also that a process has set in which is likely,
unless something is done, to push prices, and
ronta and tho whole cost of living higher and
yethlgher ri"-atlUJkviJfilJucr6Jfis
;2K53't?x ."sr-ftv.ainr"-" .tww ' r.:. ',:' y
,uiui una. Willi mo increauo m
I.---1IO- lOKWillZUT-AlUl
tiroT print
4IM
'
The Hour Has Struck
The profiteer is called into court: Justice
waits no longer. The profiteer was the darkest
Wot on the nation's prosecution of the war.
While tho soldiers were bleeding in Europe
profiteers were bleeding the. American people at
home. Had they been content to stop with the
armistice they might have escaped with their
toot, but they continued to bleed the public here
after the bleeding in Europe ceased. But a long
suffering people are at last arouse?! and the
Profiteer problem will soon be disposed, of.
The federal trado commission has reported
against the packers and the shoo men, but we
need a similar commission in every state and a
Jocal commission in EVERY CITY AND TOWN
jo deal with localr profiteering, The commercial
interests prevented legislation at the regular
session last winter, but, now that tho storm is
upon them, they are-takingto the cellars. The
0Ur h atruck: the time, for action is here. '
" ' ' W. J. BRYAN, s
PROVIDES ADEQUATE PROTECTION
IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE TREA
TY OP PEACE WITH GERMANY ITSELF-PROVDDES
ADEQUATE PROTEC
TION TO FRANCE AGAINST AGGRES
SION FROM HER RECENT ENEMY ON
THE EAST; '.' Excerpt from Presi
rinnf Wilson's Messace to congress, July
29, in transmitting tho Franco-American. .
treaty. ?
S0339'59
CONTENTS
RATIFY AND RESOLVE
THE HOUR HAS STRUCK
P-ESIDENT DEMANDS DRASTIC LAWS
1 .Lbium PROFITEERING
DUAL PLAN A COMPROMISE
. ALLIANCE WITH FRANCE UNNECES-
THE SOCIAL EVIL
THE MISTAKES OF WATTERSON
THE ANGLE Or REPOSE
STATE AND MUNICIPAL ACTION TO
STA CURB PROFITEERS
TREATIES FOR THE ADVANCEMENT
1 . OF PEACE
5srdf.Ttuo nocesSarlos of life como do-
inands for Increases In wages demands whlohlt
arc Justified if there be no othor means of en
abling men to live. Upon tho increaso of wages
there follows closo an Increase In tho prico of
the products whose producers havo accorded th"
increase not a proportionate increaso, for tho
manufacturer does not content himself with .
that, but an increase considerably greater than
the added wage cost and for which tho added
wago cost la oftentimes hardly more than an
excuse.
Tho laborers who do not get an increase in
pay when they demand it aro likely to strike,
and the strike only makes matters worse. It
chocks production, if it affects the railways it
prevents distribution and strips tho markets, bo
that there is prosently nothing to buy, and
thore is another excessive addition to prices re
sulting from the scarcity.
INACTIVITY NOT JUSTIFIED
Those are facts and forces with which wo
have become only too familiar; but we aro not
justified because of our familiarity with them,
or because of any hasty and shallow conclusion
that they are "natural" and inevitable, In sit
ting inactively by and letting them work their-"
fatal results if there Is anything that we can do
to check, correct or reverse them. I have Bought
this opportunity to Inform the congress what
tho executive is doing by way of remedy .and.
control, and to suggest where effective, legal
remedies are lacking and may be supplied.
We must, I think, frankly admit that there
is no complete immediate remedy to be had
ifrom legislation and executive action. The free
processes of supply and demand will not operate
of themselves and no legislative action can force
them into full and natural operation until thero
is peace. There is now neither peace nor war.
All the world is waiting with what unnerving
fears and haunting doubts, who can adequately
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