Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1918 — PHILOSOPHY OF WALT MASON [ARTICLE]

PHILOSOPHY OF WALT MASON

I hope the end of war is nearing; and w’hen the peace bells chime, the men enriched by profiteering will have a beastly time. Just now’, in all the hurly burly, they may put things across; by profiteering late and early, stack up a lot of dross. Just now they may be undetected, we have so much on hand, with countless problems unexpected to solve and understand. We are so busy chasing traitors, unearthing evil spies, we’re wearing, out our Sunday gaiters, and skip the cheaper guys. But soon or late they’ll all be spotted, no man can be exempt; and they’ll be beaten down and swatted by honest men’s contempt. The open foe may be forgiven, but pardon there’ll be none for him whose bargains all were driven to help out Number One. We may forgive the spy whose labors were by his king ordained; the work of one who bilks his neighbors can never be explained. When war is dope, and clouds have lifted, and Mars has sunk to sleep, we’ll see that all the goats are sifted and sorted from the sheep. Then happier the ragged pauper, without a coin in hand, than any man who thought it proper to cheat his native land.