Evening journal., 1916-09-02
PLAY POLITICS IN
STRIKE SITUATION
Suspicion That Political Ex-
pedience Rather Than
Justice SwayS
Congress
POSTMASTERS ACT AS
RECRUITING AGENTS

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
NEW YORK. Sept 2.-Grave sus-
picion that political expediency rather
than Justice. that a determination to
make Democratic capital rather than
best to conserve all interests. has
from the first controlled President
Wilson IN his handling Of the threat
ened railway strike has long existed
here. This suspicion is now confirm
ed by the Washington correspondent
Of the New York Herald. an independ-
ent Democratic paper. He says rhe
plain truth is that there has heen pol
itics In this situation from the time
the President took hold OF It. AT least
ever since he abandoned the principle
Of arbitration and declared himself in
favor Of the eight-hour day, when he
4 knew that the demand Of the brother
hoods did not contemplate an eight
hour day; that in fact, an eight-hour
work day is about the last thing de-
sired by them"
Hardly had the ink dried on Presi-
dent Wilson's signature TO the order
]
md Kentucky. to the Mexican border
that being the third or fourth
, change Mr. Wilson's mind had under
gone on this subject within as many
weeks. then he changed his mind
lagain. and ordered militia back from
he border. The new order recalls
$4,000 guardsmen There may or
NAV not be significance in the fact
that the regiments recalled come in
each instance from localities claimed
lbv the Democrats as doubtful
states" and that their recall may
serve 10 allay local criticism for
sending militia 10 the border instead
lof procuring legislation would have
permitted the regulars 70 do the po-
lice work along the Rio Grande. The
intimation at Washington regarding
the recall is that It Is designed to af-
feet the railway strike situation.
The Hay Army bill is proving. as IL
indicated by the official figures, a fail
ure For i've months the military
authorities have been making extra
ordinary efforts 10 recruit the 20,00l
emergency" soldiers authorized BY
that measure These efforts have re
d suited in recruiting 53s men. Th'
e regular army today is actually LIS
! men weaker than the authorizes
, strength Of year ago. In othe
4 words. there has been absolutely n
2 gain whatever from the Hay "EmeI
= gency Resolution" The provisio
that postmasters should act as recruit
ing agents and receive a bonus Of
for every man recruited has been /
operation ten days, and. has not pre-
duced a single recruit Under the Ha
I bill the authorized strength OF tn
! army will increase annually for fiv
years but that is merely on paper
l. Actually. as has been said. the arm
d is not recruited up 10 the point auth
D. orized before the Emergency Resolu
q ton" was passed The Administratio
a. says this is all due 10 the war pros
r perky. but army officers say II is he
T. cause Representati1se Hay and III
e Administration have preferred to hav
. their own way rather than take III
= advice OF the military experts in fran
y ing the recruiting provisions.
So loudly and extrava gantly has III
Wilson Administration praised th
Rural Credits bill that already prC
moters are utilizing it in schemes d'
" signed 10 fleece the farmers Th
ne farmers have been told so much abol
y the benefits TO them of the Rurl
/. Credits system that sharpers regar
them as easy marks for the exploit
II alton Of stock in rural banks. Thes
i promoters are organizing farm banl
land selling the stock to farmers I