The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-29
FROM OTHER PENS
WARNING AND RESPONSIBILITY

WARNING AND RESPONSIBILITY.
The warning issued by the National
Conservation association, Of which
DIR. Eliot. formerly of Harvard. is
president, is in line with the observa-
lions of President Taft on his tour
when he said at Macon. Ga. that he
intended to recommend a good many
measures at the next session of con-
gress, and took that method of init
mating where the responsibility Will
lie If these measures fail to pass. The
conservation association warns the
public of the urgent need of immedf-
ate measures to prevent the control
of the great sources of heat and pow
err, waterfalls and coal, from being
seized by monopoliStic organizations.
It cites. particularly the conditions in
Alaska, where the government is linn
tied to a charge of $40 an acre, less
than one-tenth of the real value of
the coal lands. The field has been
withdrawn, but the legality of that
withdrawal has been questioned, and
the existing laws fail to protect the
public interest in these resources. The
association appeals to the people to
bring the urgent needs of the situation
to the attention of their representa-
tives in congress in order that COM
prehensive legislation may be enacted
at the next session.-Pittsburg Post.
RACE FOR NAVAL SUPREMACY.
The recent panic of England con-
corning German preparedness for war
acquires a new significance in the Of
fetal announcement from washington
that the German navy has leaped
from fourth into second place in &C
tual fighting sea strength. Besides
passing both France and the United
States in tonnage In commission,
way nearly as much new battlesh1p
construction as has England.
The burden of this race for naval
supremacy is emphasized By the
knowledge that. although our govern
ment is perfecting the heaviest naval
program, that it ever yet carried on,
the tonnage involved is less than half
of the amount of construction under
way in either Germany or Great Br1-
tain. The fact that japan has made
but little gain in naval strength, IN
spite of rumors that she was making
great strides. may be taken to lnol-
cate a policy of keeping lesser force
up to a high state of efficiency
For those who believe that it is the
man behind the gun that counts there
NAV he some comfort in rejecting
that the United States. as always,
leads all countries except Great Brf-
tain in the strength of official and en-
listed personnel.-Omaha Bee
ADMIRALs ON HORSEBACK.
The service order requiring naval
officers on shore duty to do ninety
miles in the saddle at stated intervals
as a means of determining the sur
vival of the fittest-that was the ul-
innate object, we believe-would have
made Darwin laugh as long and loud
as when his sailor companions on a
land expedition tried to cook potatoes
at an altitude at which water boiled
at $50 degrees Fahrenheit. To carry
the smile further, the test ride is
hybrid that has no place in the OAR
winian doctrine, or, indeed, in any
regular order of events. 1t is neither
fish, flesh nor fowl, nor yet a red her
ring.
An army officer might as well be
dashed to fighting top and made to
ride out a storm in order to keep him
in trim for field duty as to have
naval officer try to keep his sea legs
supple by doing an equine stunt on
dry land. While the landsman on the
ground may see the 1udfcrous side
more keenly than the old seadog in
the saddle, the latter is not blind to
his plight, and there goes with his
forced grin a sense of humiliation that
sinks all the deeper as it is more and
more borne to his mind that the or
deal he is going through has less than
nothing to justify it.-Washington
Post.