Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-26
BEST THOUGHT IN AMERICA
DIGEST OF THE MAGAZINES

thelr names were on the pension rolls. other
men, in some cases pension ATTORNEYS draw
ing and pocketing the quarterly checks The
united States with it's notoriously small and
inadequate army, spends more on pensions
tnan all the great military establishments
OF Europe put together The United States
Government Is the only one that has pen-
stoned not only it's faithful citizen soldiery
put Its deserters and it's dishonoraby dis.
charged.
The New Republic (8) calls attention to
the general rushing through of appropriation
bills in the last days &C the SD Congress:
Notwithstanding its excellent general rec
ord, candid Democrats themselves admit
that it made in one respect an egrerous
failure. 1t was shamelessly and fagrantly
prodiSal in the appropriation of public
money In not a single case did the SOD
Congress attempt to eradicate any Of the
ancient crafts or fail to fill any of the regu-
lar pork barrels.
The public buildings bill for 1918 provided
for 327 new buildings. The supervising
architect reported that the last Of the
buildings will not have been placed under
contract until about the beginning Of the
year 1920" Nevertheless. the sundry civil
appropriations bill at the present session au-
thorized about $50 new buildings
Postmaster General Burleson dlskes the
buildings thrust upon the department be-
cause they are unnecessarily elaborate and
population of $500, where the Government Is
now spending S372 a year for rent heEt
light and janitor service, is in the bill for
an appropriation of $1,000 Its case Is not
exceptional. Wilmington, N c., where the
gross receipts of the Custom House are
S2S,OO0 year, got an appropriation Of $780,
600 for new building to house business
which employs four officials and at present
costs the Government 25 cents for eacn
dollar collected.
Another County Heard From
Leslies a. is more disturbed about an
other extravaganza:
Incredible! While the State of New York
is on the edge of bankruptcy, with SlS,OOO-
900 needed to fill the gap, the Legislature al
Albany is puttering over bills to further our-
den the taxpayers by making new require
ments for pensioning widows, for WORKING
mems compensation and other projects cal.
culated to beguile the elusive labor vote. Il
is also busy in imposing new burdens On
telephone and other companies So
Washington, with the Federal Treasury iae'
ing a deficit of $40,000,0 900 and new taxes oh
a bond issue in sight before long, Consrss,
spent it's closing hours in framing up Uli
TO double the cost of running ships unus'
the American flag.
Golfers gives an amusing glimpse y
some of the men who play chess Win oul
tax moneys, In an article by George Fi'Sn
(5):
over 100 Congressman folded up tnst,
careers when the late Congress came 70 q.
close. Some OF them marched on lhtg .ssS w
Senate Others retired from age sanshss su,.1as
ambitions, cold feet and other dlsapinl.s,9' non.
One of the greatest bereavements was NII II.
gresham Charles Bartlett, OF George. e.. IA
was noted for his temper, his knowiieu'' tor
constitutional law, and his aneeuSon uSpa..irs
Georgia. One time Bartlett was auui ~ IN,
posterity and one or two members VIII WIZ =
tense earnestness during the luneh ls.eon no
delivering a beautiful apostrophe 70 e hSsds a..
Ga, his home town. Merely TO helP ~ totsr-
bate long, Smith. of Iowa, rose anu aaatisnsn
rupS ? the speaker. HAS the gehlassted
ever heard of Red Oak. IowaT' ne & a'ser sTn.
mo" said Bartlett with tremehIusu'ul' ls'l' fash.
basis. Smith then proceeded In Klhuis Klhlsn mat
| 1 to inform the Georgia Congressnnaa tele-
| I'd Oak had more street paving, nlots4 .ts4s il.
phones, more churches, more CaIi'sS sSfseon.
braries and more bank deposits thah ssh ex-
"That's not true" shouted Bartlett W. W. ned
treme earnestness. IL never heaLu oniv
Oak It's a one-horse town. ~ 80 mud mud
cIapboard huddle of shacks IN pIs srora tha
hole" cloud and repeated cheerins Inv ~, M
other three auditors.) II deny II, ! Se5s he5s been
shouted Smith, whose Iowa Loyalty seS saii
awakened, II don't care II you uV' asniei
bartlett. "A better man than you ~ thi
Christ" Upon which, having slensG G' J.
enemy he Numbered cheerIuuy oH'