The day book. [volume], July 15, 1915, LAST EDITION, Image 10

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
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THE PUBLIC FORUM
JUNE
By Roswell F. Connor
On dear old Chiwe can rely,
It's record can't" be beat.
There's no resort of any sort
Which has less summer heat
The coal man smiles and then com
piles The profits made in June.
The iceman's sad, for trade's been
bad,
He sings a different tune.
From the beach we hear no screech
Of water nymphs these days.
They don't go in just yet to swim,
Long walks are all the craze.
Our B-V-D's just reach the knees,
They're pretty cool, you bet.
There's not much charm in sleeve
less arm,
Their purchase we regret
But why complain, we can remain
All summer in our flat
We need not go to old St Joe,
Just stay in our habitat
METHODS. When the great Ben
Franklin was experimenting with his
kite and doorkey and had coaxed
the electric current down his kite
string there were a lot of reactionary,
standpat moss-back dubs standing
around ridiculing and laughing, tell
ing him that he was an undesirable
citizen, a dreamer, an idealist flying
in the face of Providence and disturb
ing the fixed order of things, and I
presume they told him that he would
break up the home, drive capital out
of the country and ruin business.
Well, Big Ben kept right on sawing
wood (metaphorically speaking). He
was a genuine progressive and never
let ridicule sidetrack him. He knew
he had discovered a great principal
that would revolutionize the world.
We all know what electricity has
dotae for the world. We know that
fits possibilities are still unlimited,
and thus we find all the way down
the ages every step in advancement
toward a higher and nobler civiliza
tion has been hindered and handi
capped by the old, bone-headed reac
tionary, who lays like a filthy fat hog
in his wallow across the pathway of
progress, brainlessly squealing, "You
caun't do it don't ye know!"
Now I am going to mention one
practical method that can be put into
operation at once, right here in the
city. I am addressing this more es
pecially to the members of the
unions. I know what the Socialists
will do in this emergency, but you
union men are not reliable, from an
economic standpoint, to work in your
own interests, politically. Your
hearts are all right but you are too
easily influenced by your old party
affiliations, as witnessed and conclu
sively shown by your vote for judges
in the late election, who have double
crossed you in the past and will in
the future upon every economic ques
tion that comes up between you and
the big interests.
Now, do you or do you not want a
penny-a-call phone in your home,
municipally owned, like your water
system, your fire and police depart
ments and your great park system,
destined to be the superior of any in
the nation? Do you want it I say?
Do you want the. phone? THEN
TAKE IT! You have the chance of a
lifetime, and for the sake of your
families, GO TO IT, like thinking
men and women.
Write to, or better still, see your
alderman personally and tell him em
phatically what you want in regard
to the Automatic telephone. Do you
think he will dare turn you down in
the council? Not on your life! He
thinks too much of his job with its.
perquisites and emoluments. State '
your position! Don't beg, DEMAND!
On the other hand if some of you
haven't brain and intellect enough to
think and work in the interest of your
little boys and girls who will have to