WHY BAKER IS ATTACKED
Follette, Robert M. La
Why Baker is Attacked Editorials by Robert M. La Follette BUSINESS is c^ut strong for universal military training. Its machine-made letters and telegrams in favor of the Chamberlain bill are at...
...The American people believe in that kind of policy and it is well for them to understand the true animus of this nation-wide assault on Secretary Baker...
...You think any peace will be a premature peace, and when peace does come, at last you would like to see this Government committed to an enduring policy of militarism...
...But the small minority in Congress is powerless to pass a just war tax bill...
...Baker's plans were made accordingly...
...It is nearly time for the Chamber of Commerce of the United States to take one of its ready-made "referenduras" for the measure—if it has not already done so...
...The Universal Military Training League, the National Security League, the War Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, and big business patriots generally who profit in war, in big standing armies, in imperialism and the exploitation of weaker nations, and all the things allied with big military establishments, committed the blunder of tipping their hands...
...Its machine-made letters and telegrams in favor of the Chamberlain bill are at high tide in the mail of every Senator and Member...
...Hence Pershing's army was sent over...
...He is honestly in favor of a policy that is consistent with President Wilson's declaration for "absolute guarantees given and taken that national armament will be reduced to the lowest point" when peace is finally achieved...
...The game is up, gentlemen...
...A single word from President Wilson would secure the prompt enactment of a measure imposing a just tax on wealth...
...Under the lash of the war press Congress rushed legislation through to raise i! army of millions of men with all possible peed...
...Many of these organizations, especially those of a purely business type, have been the chief promoters of the vicious attacks on the Secretary of War...
...The public affairs, the Government which is a large buyer of war material at these inflated prices also suffers as a purchaser...
...He knows full well that the policy of raising money to pay the expense of this war by borrowing and issuing bonds is vicious in principle and as rankly unjust to the present generation as it is to the next It is impossible to issue bonds without inflating the currency, depredating tho value' bt the dollar, and Increasing prices...
...It is to be remembered that every detail of the plans of the vast undertaking was committed to the Secretary and to be driven at high speed night and day...
...It would only exact the profits of war, leaving the round profits of peace times untouched...
...The "drives" to sell bonds to "everybody" have been so hard, the pressure exerted in every community so exacting-, that thousands and tens of thousands of purchases have been made by people who are compelled to sell their bonds to pay for groceries and shoes and coal and clothing and doctor bills...
...Then came the demand from Prance for the presence of our soldiers over there...
...Tax War Profits...
...The vicious drive against Secretary Baker will fail...
...This required a very fundamental change in plans...
...It then borrows more money, issues more bonds, and still further inflates the currency and raises prices each time it repeats the vicious practice...
...Of course tho National Security League's committees of public safety and other similar organizations will most if not all of them give powerful co-operation to this plan to provide material for a largo standing army as a permanent military policy...
...The people will win in the end...
...There is a small minority in Congress that would, if it had the power, tax war profits and excess incomes to the last dollar...
...Some percentage of error is inevitable in all human affairs, but an impartial review of Mr...
...But alas, that word is not spoken...
...It is well understood that England from the outset urged the training of our soldiers here until fully ready for the field, and in the meantime the employment of all on* shipping to transport provisions and supplies to the other side, where they are so sorely needed...
...If he had been permitted to work out his plans as first prepared, the hardships and suffering due to a shortage of supplies in a number of camps would have been reduced to the minimum...
...Baker in his late annual report presented a strong recommendation against universal military training...
...With the war costing from seventeen to twenty billions the first fiscal year, Big Business is wallowing in profits...
...Let Up on Bond Issues IT IS VERY UNJUST to seek to hold Secretary McAdoo solely responsible for the monstrous policy which is being pursued in financing the wax...
...Bankeri, manufacturers, lumber companies, mining companies are all in line...
...Even that would not be the conscription of capital...
...Can anyone justify this program...
...And out of this enormous war cost the profiteers and fat incomes will pay a meager two or three billions...
...But you will fail...
...It necessitated the withdrawal of doctors, surgeons, nurses and a vast quantity of equipment, clothing, and supplies for an army in the field, additional to that which would have been required for the same number of men if they had been quartered in cantonments at home...
...You were very active in bringing on this war...
...But it is neither possible nor is it neces-ary to set out all the facts which sustain Secretary Baker within the brief space of this writing...
...Scarcely a day passed during the extra session that Congress did not enact some measure imposing tasks of tremendous proportions upon the Secretary of War...
...He must bear his fair share of the blame...
...But President Wilson likewise will have to answer for the great wrong when the day of reckoning cornea...
...To the plain citizen struggling to pay current bills there can be but one answer...
...Without even the formal reading of : he bills when taken up for consideration, ur.d practically without debate, Congress appropriated billions of money to equip and mobilize the army, build cantonments, construct aeroplanes, and contract for vast quantities of war supplies...
...Under the administration program the people must pay fifteen to eighteen billions...
...Never in history has a task of such magnitude been imposed upon the responsible head of a military organization as that undertaken by Newton T. Baker as Secretary of War...
...Baker's record will show him entitled to the earnest support of the American people...
...It was urged that it would greatly hearten and encourage the French army to know that American troops were "Somewhere in France...
Vol. 10 • February 1918 • No. 2
