Mr. Hoover has expressed this same view in the most emphatic terms in the course of an address to the special conference of Federal Food Administrators held in Washington, D.C. on November 12, 1918.  “It is my belief,” said Mr. Hoover, “that the tendency of all such legislation except in war is to an over degree to strike at the roots of individual initiative.  We have secured its execution during the war as to the willing co-operation of 95 per cent of the trades of the country, but under peace conditions it would degenerate into an harassing blue law.”

But the advocates of Socialism are especially active during the time of uncertainty and confusion that necessarily follows the close of a great world war.  At such times, they always are.  In the words of Mr. Kahn,—­“They possess the fervor of the prophet allied often to the plausibility and cunning of the demagogue.  They have the enviable and persuasive cocksureness which goes with lack of responsibility and of practical experience.  They pour the vials of scorn and contempt upon those benighted ones who still tie their boat to the old moorings of the teachings of history and of common sense appraisal of human nature.  And being vociferous and plausible they are unquestionably making converts.”

Recently I saw little “stickers” pasted on the walls of a railway station in a small New Jersey city which read as follows—­

The Masters Fear Slaves That
Think
If you think right you will act right
Study Socialism

This is typical of the fallacious arguments so often encountered.  First of all, it has the tone of darkest Hungary or Bolshevist Russia, and is absolutely contrary to the facts as regards conditions in the United States.  The so-called “toasters” or “capitalistic class;” for suppose it is to them that this refers, have been in the forefront of the movement to educate the masses, and have given their time, money and sympathy to aid in its success.  I heartily agree with the non sequitur statement that “if you think right you will act right.”  I am perfectly willing to join in the demand that our people should “study Socialism,” for if the American people will not only study it but also think their way through in regard to it, no sincere believer in democracy and in American ideals need have any doubt as to the final outcome.

We Americans believe that our people, in the long run, will decide right upon any question to which they have given due thought and consideration.  So in their hands we may safely leave the whole question of Socialism and government ownership or operation.  All we ask is, that they be given due knowledge and instruction.  Furthermore, if Socialism be true, it should not fear open and complete examination.  If the truth is the truth, it must prevail in the end.  Therefore the surreptitious and secret attempt to foist Socialism upon an unsuspecting people savors much of the lack of sincerity and of belief in its real truth on the part of its own advocates.  At least they should stop making their appeal mainly to the uninstructed foreign-born and to the apostles of half-baked learning, and lay their case before the hard-headed laborer, the business and the professional man.