Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1917 — AIDING THE ENEMY [ARTICLE]

AIDING THE ENEMY

Just now this is a familiar phrase in American life. Exactly what is intended to be conveyed by the phrase many do not seem to understand. It might be well to study it closely if we are to be loyal citizens as our government expects us to be. First, it is not at all necessary that we actually minister to the enemy’s material wants, in order to come under the meaning of the term. There are a thousand and one ways—indirect ways—of aiding an enemy. Our present enemy is fully aware of this fact, and his knowledge is shown in .his extraordinary activity in our country. •One of the most effective ways to aid a cause is to destroy the morale of its opponents. If dissension and strife can be sown in its ranks, these of themselves will soon bring about its downfall without much effort on the part of its opponent. Unfortunately, there seems to be current in this country an idea that any course of action is perimssable that is not directly prohibited by statute of law. Acting on this assumption, opponents of the government claim the right to criticize this government’s actions because our constitution guarantees to all freedom of speech. Such people profess to be unable to see wherein they can be accused of disloyalty i n exercising a plain right guaranteed by the constitution: Fortunately, however, this same question has arisen before in this country. In the war between the states. President Lincoln had the same difficulty to contend with, and he went directly to the root of the matter and defined for all time the rights of citizens as to freedom of

speech in times of national peril. Hear him: ° He who dissuades one man from volunteering, or induces one soldier to desert, weakens the Union cause as much as he who kills a Union soldier in battle. Yet this discussion or inducement may be so conducted as to be no defined crime of which any civil court would take cognizance. President Lincoln w’ent farther and asserted the indisputable right of the government to suppress all action and speech that had for its object, or tended to, the weakening of the morale of the government forces. Men of America, our sons and brothers will soon be on the firing line, defending the honor of a people that know no master. They will be sheading their blood to make permanent the liberty bequeathed them by other fighters of another age. Can we stand and see them stabbed in the back by professed friends, while they are baring their breasts to our country’s foes? The man who in this emergency opposes his country’s course through ignorance, should be reasoned with and enlightened. He who by such action would give aid to the enemy, should be sent to join that enemy—at once. He’s a misfit here.