The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-03-23
LAW MAKERS JOKE
OVER STREET NAME.
Change Title Of Sixteenth Street
snobbery Causes Much Laughter
Among Members of Senate
ARMY NEEDS CLEANING UP
Investigation Shows That Officers
Have Been Shown Mercy While Pri-
Yates Are Dealt Full Punishment

From ongressman C. H. Tavenner.
Washington, March 23,-Good old
Sixteenth Street in the city Of Wash
ington has recovered it's name. This
is the street which comes from the
north edge of the capital city and
would bump squarely into the front
door of the White House were it not
for the fact that pretty, little park
ends the streets southwark career
just in time. =
Ever since the founding of Wash
ington the street was called Six
teenth Street until last year, when
Congress solemnly rechristened. 1t
"'Avenne of the Presidents" This
was done because little by little Six
teenth Street has become the most
aristocratic street in Washington and
the society leaders who dwelt thereon
thought that the thoroughfare ought
to have a name more dignified than
that of a common street.
1t lis true that the remaining made
little difference with the population
of Washington. Congress in it's SOL
emn Legislation might dub the street
what it chose, but to the people of
Washington it would always remain
Sixteenth Street. And so the street
car Conductors continued to call out
sixteenth Street," and the grocery
mainland coal dealers delivered their
wares to addresses on Sixteenth
Street" and many of those living on
the street had mail addressed to them
on sixteenth Street." The only
change was that the handsome street
sings bore the new name-a matter
of some little expense to the govern
ment in buying these new signs.
Now Congress has just as solemen-
ly changed the name back to Six
teenth Street again, and over in the
Senate the members had lot of fun
out of it. Senator John Sharp Will
lans said that the change to the
highfalutin name was made because
"sassiety' wanted it. Senator Smith
of Arizona, suggested that other
street names be changed-to Avenue
of the Cabinet; Avenue of the Sena-
tors; Avenue of the Government
Clerks; and so on. Senator Thomas,
of Colorado, solemnly offered an
mendment proposing that an alley
adjacent to Sixteenth Street be called
Alley of the Vice Presidents.
Thus this little excursion into
snobbery exploded in laughter. Six
tenth Street it is again, and every
body feels better.
Army Needs Cleaning up.
One great reform that Secretary
Garrison can work, and probably will
work, before he leaves office, will be
to put an end to the class discrimina-
lions that exist in the army. Until
the enlisted soldier feels that he will
get as squart a deal as is given to any
officer, the recruiting of new men for
the army will continue to be difficult
and assertions will continue to be
many.
Much interesting information is
coming to light. 1t is good thing,
and if injustices have existed by the
wholesale, the quicker they are ex-
posed and conditions remedied, the
sooner will the American standing
army get up to the fighting strength
and spirit which the general staff Of.
ficers desire.
Recently some shocking instance!
Of Determinations by eourtmartial
have been revealed. Enlisted men
guilty of trivial offenses, have beer
sent to federal penitentiaries fol
long terms of years. Officers, guilt!
of violations of moral law, guilty c
offenses which would throw them in
to penitentiaries from civil courts
have escaped with dismassal from tn
service.
The Democratic way will be to ap
ply the same penalties to officers ant
enlisted men for the same offenses.