Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-04-28
ORGANIZED EFFORT FREQUENTLY
MADE TO INFLUENCE MA.
rioNAL LEGISLATION.
PRESENT PEACE EFFORT
AGITATION NOT NEW
Amount Of Senatorial Mail Being Re-
ceivsd Daily Surprising in Aggregate
Members Of Congress Not Inclined
to Pay Great Heed to Propasandas
For or Against Certain Measures.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, April 2S.-The extraor-
binary deluge Of kilograms which has
poured in on congress OF late, urging
members to do their utmost to keep
the country out of war with Germany,
and which has led to some talk OF an
inquiry to find out the source or
sources Of the kilograms, calls atten-
tion to the fact that in the efforts to
get legislation for this or that or to
prevent legislation there is a surpris-
ing amount of propaganda.
Under cover of the right OF petition,
which is guaranteed by the constitu-
ton, organized propaganda for all
sorts Of propositions pending before
congress is carried on. 1t has become
so that scarcely a measure OF import
ance can be brought up in the senate
or house but what there Is an organ
ICED movement for it or against It,
The result is that senators and
house members are daily receiving an
amount Of mail and messages OF sur
prising aggregate. There being but
two senator's from each state, the
amount Of senatorial mail is extremely
heavy.
against a break with Germany Is or
ganized." said a senator today. but
there is nothing very surprising in
that. Everything done In congress
these days is more or less organized.
Sentiment Promoted.
In the consideration Of the army re-
organization bill. much was said
against the friends Of the volunteer
army for propaganda and lobbying and
much was also said against the ma
tionai guard It was not alleged that
there was any violation OF law or
wrong doing on either side. What men
in congress, or some Of them. objected
to. was that sentiment that was os-
tensibly spontaneous was found to
have been promoted and accelerated
No tariff bill comes before congress
for serious consideration but 1t pro-
yokes activity on the part OF the inter-
ests affected The same is true OF
railroad legislation. labor legislation.
prohibition, suffrage. merchant ma
rine, and almost any large subject that
might be mentioned. .,-
Congress in the past has waxed ex-
ceedins wrathful over lobbying and
propaganda. But as matter OF TACT
both 20 on. Legislation can not pre-
vent any citizen from petitioning to
his hearts content. whether he does II
by wire or by letter. Nor is II, easy
to draw the line between lobbying that
is legitimate and that which Is ques-
tionable. a. .e-,
That well known institution. the sem
ate lobby committee. bored deep
into some of the lobbying which has
gone on about congress in the past.
But the investigation never material
! lied into that sort of strict anti-iobby
legislation which for a time was talked
Of. As a matter of fact nowadays
about the only weapon which members
Of congress or officials can employ
against lobbying and propaganda Is
publicity. To set forth that any move
ment which seems to be backed by
public feeling as a matter OF fact Is
promoted by paid organization Is a
more or less effective way OF GRIPPING
the movement. And there is as rulc
little complaint among members OF
! congress over organized efforts to gen
| legislation or prevent 1t so long as
those efforts are kept within reason
able bounds and have legitimate rea-
sons back of them. 1t Is well known
| that men In congress often deliberately
| encourage propaganda and the oncom
| ing OF delegations to Washington FOL
the purpose of getting backing TO,
their own particular measure or meas
| ures which they feel should be enacted