The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-08-06

w uSul0ELOU, Aug. .-I SHtCliI III
these times OF great national peril II
would seem that people should lay
aside their pet projects, their fads and
isms, and all work for the common
good. This is no time TO be driving
bargains. Neither the president nor
should be held up" and com
PEELED to accept certain demands which
people with some power think they car
force upon the government because
there is a great national crisis.
There has been a disposition display
ed I'm several quarters to force legisla-
tion on war measures that would not
have a chance of enactment save that
there is necessity for haste In passing
legislation and 1t might be defeated by
a combination OF those who are trying
to enact their ideas into law.
Many of these people say they are
insisting upon their ideas I'm order TO
support the government. but this Is a
doubtful kind of loyalty.
What viii He Do With III
President Wilson has been granted
more power than any of his ~predeces-
sors. He has been granted extraor-
binary power OF many kinds. Every
war measure passed directs or author
lies the president to do certain things.
The question naturally arises, What
will he do with all these powersf
1t would be impossible for him indi-
vidually to use all the power which has
been given him in the legislation pass
ed by congress. AS a matter or fact.
1t has not been the expectation of the
trainers OF the legislation that the pres
ident viii exercise all Of the powers
that have been granted to him. Rath-
err. 1t Is expected the powers will be
exercised almost wholly by his sub
ordinates.
Take the CONSUMPTION act, the espion-
q act and the embargo act. as well
AZ a dozen other measures. and III win
be found, save for the proclamations
which the president has signed, the
real administration has been done by
cabinet officers or men selected by the
president for the special purpose OF car
rying out his wishes.
Trying to Make Them Understand.
Public men whose duty II Is TO con-
duct the war, or we win say to furnish
the materials and money which Will
make a war a success, have been con-
fronted with many inquiries which re
solve themselves down to this ques-
ton: what are we fighting fort"
For that reason quite a number of
men have ~cndeavored to establish
an ideal which will appeal to the
numerous letters have been put forth
with the idea of showing that had not
the United States entered the war
when II did England and France would
have been crushed and Germany would
have carried the war to the American
continent.
We all realize what would happen IL
Germany succeeded In landing men
In the United States. Our public men
are trying to make our people believe
IL our troops do not fight I'm Europe and
assist England and France In defeat
Ing Germany there we will have a
taste OF the war In America.
Not . Strenuous Student.
Congressman Longworth OF Ohio was
discussing and urging the proposition
for a congressional commission on the
conduct of the war and when speaking
OF the opposition of President Wilson
was interrupted by Congressman Platt
Of New York, who asked:
"Mr. Wilson is himself a historian
and has written pretty largely on the
civil war. Is there any place In his
book where he expresses any objection
to a committee of congress to super
wise the conduct Of the war? | have
looked for any such statement and
have not been able to find It,"
IL must confess" replied Longworth.
that l have not been a very strenuous
student Of the work to which the gen
tleman refers"
Talk Of Moral Courage.
Many legislators are accused of lack
ing moral courage on one question or
another. For instance, those people
who believe that 1t was inopportune to
attach the prohibition measure to the
food control bill accused the men who
voted for prohibition Of lacking moral
courage to vote their convictions"
As a matter of fact, a great many
men voted for prohibition who did not
believe In 1t, but they voted that way
because of the sentiment In their states
and districts.
They Would Like to Tell.
These are hard times for the wives
and other relatives of army and navy
officers. Their close relationship Is
bound to give them information con
corning war moves which is not gen.
orally possessed by other people. Nat
urally these women are consumed with
the burning desire to tell their friends
what they know. A few take 1t out b,
insinuations and innuendoes, and any
body with reasonable judgment can
guess pretty well where the troops and
ships are located.