The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-03-25
Record Filled With Opinions Of
Those Who Claim TO Know.
CERTAIN To INCREASE ARMY
But Congress viii Not Pass Any
Measure That Would Make This
Country a Great Warlike Nation.
Bennett Explains That Conference
Will Draft Bill In Acceptable Form.
BY RTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington. March 25.-[Special.l i
These are days when the congressional
military experts are getting In their
work and giving their constituents in
formation as to what they know about
the army and national defense. The
Congressional Record Is fat with
speeches, both those delivered and
those which are "leave to print" re-
marks on the army and navy. II 1t
were all true there would be "A mighty
mixed condition In this country.
Out OF 1t all will come legislation ma
terially increasing the army, but as TO
actual preparedness toward n big war
with the winning nations In Europe or
with Japan the surface will scarcely
be scratched. If we are TO fight the
winner in Europe or fight Japan we
will have 10 go much deeper, expend
many more millions and make this a
great warlike nation.
Bill TO Be Made In Conference.
,tHkltoNHtih btlitttt VI LNtN u III
speaking on the Hay army bill took
the house into his confidence and ex-
planned something as TO how the army
legislation will he constructed.
"We are not going to make the bill
here he said. 1--WE are simply going
to pass II. In the senate they are GO
ing to take the 1nnards' out OF it and
put I'm an entirely different set OF
works. Then we will appoint n con
ference committee, and the conferees
will change all that has been done and
make the bin. We are simply mechan-
les and starting the machinery"
Summer and Winter Clothes.
Senator Shafroth of Colorado was
telling what was proposed to be done
I'm the matter OF legislation by the ON
servationists. This included all the
bills which have passed the house be
sides those pending I'm the senate.
This becomes n practical matter
with some of u.s." remarked Senator
Gallinger OF New Hampshire. "Even
IL this program should be partially
- W III liz gtAAuht H II 6aAt ~
send for our summer clothes"
No N replied directly, but they
might have told him that not only
would summer clothes be required, but
the winter clothes would be taken out
of the moth balls long before the pro
gram was completed.
Easy Nominations.
Scarcely n month passes In which
Minority Leader Mann Ices not nomi-
nate Speaker Clark for president.
Champ returns the compliment by
nominating Jim for president. 1t was
at "A press club entertainment when
Champ, speaking OF the power which
long service gives to members OF the
house, said that Mann would be the
speaker of the house when the Repub-
leans gained control. "unless he is
nominated for president next June"
There are quite a number of people
who think that Jim Mann Is the real
dark horse of the Republican situation.
Seems Sort Of Curious.
The earnestness with which senator's
AN appointment VA ChA
all or a large proportion of the cadets
to West Point from the enlisted men
of the regular army Is n OF the
strange features of political ideas OF
military affairs. / suppose II Is the
belief that 1t will encourage enlist
ments In the army In order to get the
West Point appointments. But 1t
would meal starting the men I'm the
academy much older than at present
and consequent early retirement. One
trouble now Is that officers become too
old for good service. One cannot enlist
In the army until he is eighteen. He
ought to enter the academy at that
age. Such methods Of appointment
would take away the widespread rep
resentation which now prevails.
Trimmed q Few.
Congressman Fordney OF Michigan
certainly trimmed a few OF the free
sugar advocates when he spoke on the
repeal bill which SO recently passed
the house. He took hold OF a number
of those who have been advocating
free sugar and showed where their in
terests lay and also traced their posi-
ton to a close connection with the big
sugar refiners who were interested I'm
getting raw sugar at as low a price as
possible. Joe wanted to abuse the
Democrats, but he refrained, saying
he wanted their votes for the bill.
Even so he could not resist jabbing a
few Of them.
Ear Raise a Laugh.
Congressman Howard of Georgia
was talking about some bill In the
house and said, snow, let us e
what ought to be done, and this is
just a suggestion In conformity with
our formal declarations at Baltimore,
which we have kept faithfully thus
far"
And Howard got the laugh that he
expected. Some way assertions Of that
sort are sure to bring a laugh loud
enough on the Republican side and a
smiling chuckle on the Democratic
side. It's like q good old joke.