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Show IB ''' i," M:euirr.nv iiakkii'S speech goes fiier H ,'" TIIROVCll TTIE MAILS B '' J A speech by Newton D. Baker, secretary of war, Bj .', , In scheduled for delivery today at tho Ohio Democrat- Bl '. "IsftaiefonretitlonMn Columbus. A'copy-of'thtr'spwh'" Bl J; has come to this newspaper. As tho speech Is not ro- Bl! leased by Mr. Baker for publication until tomorrow Hi nothing shall bo said now of Its contents. What wo' E have to say today relates to tho manner In which tho' BJ mimeographed' copy of tho address reached Tho Sim Bl mill' New York Herald. BB; Tho speech arrived In an envelope which carried In Its northwest comer the legend: "War Department BJ rQillco of the Secretary, Washington Ofriclal Busl- Bk , iii'ss." In the northeast corner, under' the Washlhg- BB K ' ! ton postmark, wo find the fumlllar warning: "Penally B 111 for Private Use lo Avoid Payment or Postage, $300.' Hurl i There Is nof a postage stamp, or a vestlgo of ono, on Hlj i tho envelope. BB '' It Is hardly necessary lo say that when govern- BB' r. ent. employes make speeches at parly conventions BBj jl they nro not engaged on government work. They BBBiiE ' may bo speaking for an administration, but certain 1 ' ly they arc not on official business. After the chaplain chap-lain has finished hla Invocation convention speeches are partisan.. . . The.ro Is no moro, excuse for "Newton D. Baker sending out "an Ohio political speech under govern-tricnt govern-tricnt frank than thero would be In his sending a pot of pansles under-that frank to every pacifist who has admired him. If- It was not Mr. Baker himself but some underling who sought to save.; the secretary ot war the 16 ccita which first class postage on each copy of tho speech would cost thenMr. "Baker should get after the economical- subordinate. There win a lot of smiling a few weeks ago wheir persons received, under thofrank of the scretary of the navy, copies ot the speech which Mrs. Joscphus Daniels had prepared for delivery at the International .Woman Suffrago "conference at deneva, Switzerland. . But to us this seems to have been no plainer a violation viola-tion of the postal law than has been committed by tho secretary of war or In bis name. The abuse of the iranklng privilege has been a scandal In Washington for many years. Usually, however, how-ever, members of congreag may within tho law by causing their political speeches to bo printed In tho Congressional Record before they send them out by the ton to break tho backs of tho mall carriers and increase the government's bill to tho railroads. But can baekwood's TPpresonlatfvo: 'b6'expected to Teform when the sweetest .Idealist In tho cabinet sets such n bad example Sun and New York Herald. i Ik |