South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-01-14
STATESMEN
REAL AND NEAR
BY FRED C. KELLY.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 14.-Chief
Justice White of the supreme court
of the United States has a habit OF
using reverent little explosives in his
everyday conversation. If one were
To ask him about his health he would
probably say:
I'm very we'll today, praise God"
He uses the phrase so much that
sometimes he runs it in without stop
ping 10 think. The other day. so runs
the story. an old friend met him on
the street and inquired:
'HOw's your wife, Mr.. Chief JUS
tice?"
Not quite so we'll today. thank
you, praise God" replied White.
When he starts any place on
train, Rep. Walter l. Hensley of Mis-
souri, deposits his grips and Things by
his seat and then makes a bee line at
once for the smoking compartment.
But his object is not so much TO
smoke as 10 engage other travellers in
conversation in regard TO their views
on the upkeep of the United States
navy.
Hensley is the man who got up the
resolution for naval holiday "A year
long. The idea is for the United
States and Great Britain to get to-
gether and interest other major
major league nations in a scheme 10
build no more battleships for a year,
and see if everything doesn't go on
just as we'll
Hensley likes to find out at first
hand what people think about his
proposition and make a few converts
as he goes along. And ne finds the
average Pullman Gro nlxippr comma RI
ment as good a place as any in which
to operate
A little while ago Hensley leaned
back in his smoking compartment
seat, with a paper in his lap. and re-
marked:
thing the papers are talking about
goes through"
That started the discussion, which
was the object of his remark.
One right prospero looking
young stranger ventured 10 say:
What do any OF us care whether
they build one battleship or six bat
tleships?"
you seem to be overlooking the
fact" suggested Hensley, that the
average American family has to pay
about $50 a year toward the expenses
OF the national government, big
item of which is the navy
Well, l don't suppose my share is
more than about nickel" went on
the man blandly; Il have very little
taxable property. 1t may cost some of
the big fellows something. but why
should 1 worry? Let them figure It
out"
'I'n bet you though" suggested
Hensley, that you pay more in fed
erals taxes than Andrew Carnegie"
And the man shouted at the alb
surdity OF the idea.
THE federal taxes are all indi-
rect reminded Hensley. Now, you
! pay a good deal of money to the gov
| eminent in taxes on the cigars you
smoke. Mr.. Carnegie doesn't use to-
/ bacco. You probably drink a little.
Mr.. Carnegie doesn't. He is a mod
est dresser. You probably buy three
suits of clothes to his one. You
doubtless eat twice as much as he
| does. So imagine that you pay more
! federal taxes than he does"
The man said little at the time, but
he was greatly fiattered and puffed
up over what Hensley had told him.
\ half hour later Hensley over
heard the man fussing with his wife
as they were walking to the dining
car. He asserted his manhood in this
| fashion:
You may think I'm an awful boob,
ute more toward keeping this govern
ment going that a man like Andrew
/ Carnegie does"
/ A pair of out-of-tOwn visitors sat
| in one of the senate galleries looking
| over the human exhibits down below.
| They made comments on the appear
ance of this, that and the other SEN
atOr, and finally espied Sen. Newlands
/ of Nevada.
/ 'Ah, what an odd-looking man is
| that" exclaimed one of the pair,
| pointing.
Indeed. isn't he"' agreed the other
! one. Il don't know that l ever saw a
! face quite like that. He isn't at all
! bad looking. but how unusual"
Yes" went on the nrst one, che
/ looks so indignant all the while-as
/ If somebody had Just insulted him"
And did you ever see a senator
! with plaid vest just like that?
/ wonder who he can be?"
1t Glanced that a few moments
| later Sen. NewlandS himself entered
| the gallery and the visitors got an
\ even better look at him. He sat down
! directly in front of them and con-
versed with a woman who had been
| sitting there for some time with a
| look of quiet amusement on her face
The woman was Newlands' wife.
George Bakhmeteff. the Russian