The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-05-07
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

people Ol lue bulLcu plhtCS, oO 10
the national capital is concerned, is di-
to war aud war measures. No
seems to have time for anything
else.
our domestic policies for b time
have been forgotten. Statesmen are
devoting their entire time to war cor
ditions and war measures. AS TO
finance, It has only n turn-that Is,
to secure money and to expend IT In
the most advantageous m to car
~ on the great struggle upon which
this nation has embarked.
our domestic affairs are treated sole
ly as they will affect the one great en-
terprise, and everything else Is sub
ordinated to the single theme or dong
our best to bring the war to a success
fIH conclusion and victory to the
armies OF our allies against the central
powers.
Underneath tho Surface.
OF course there are discussions, al
most wholly of a private nature, which
relate to politics and TO the effect
MDltn the Ndi VIII hhFV NHDA ~
country In the future. but this Is III
tertwlned with war and war talk.
IL IL true that many OF u statesmen
do not agree with the men who are
now conducting the government as TO
what Is best under the various and
perplexing conditions which have
arisen since the war resolution was
passed by congress. and 1t Is also true
that the division Of sentiment Is pro
nounced In certain quarters.
IL so happens, however. that these
divisions are not OF a partisan charac-
ter. There are men OF both parties
who are earnestly supporting the poll
cies of the administration and 1t Is
also notable that there are some men
Of the presidents party who disagree
with the war policies of the admins
tration.
Differences Over Raising IN Army.
Party lines disappeared entirely In
the Endorsement of the presidents po-
sition when he went to congress ana
asked for a declaration OF "A state or
war. Few men differed with him
when the vote was taken. All differ
ences disappeared when 1t came to
supplying an immense fund to carry
on the war. There have been differ
ences in regard 10 the method or rails
ing money by taxation, but Ii Is eX-
pected that there viii be no partisan
ship in the support of or opposition to
those measures.
The most extreme opposition which
the president encountered was in re
gard TO the method OF raising an army
and il was noted that such men as
Speaker Champ Clark and Chairman
Dent Of the military committee, a.
well as a number of prominent Demo
cratic senator's. were unable 10 support
the president, but, ON the other hand
were vigorous in their opposition.
Illuminating Discussions.
Discussion over the bills to raise
an army brought out a great variety
of opinion and wonderfully divergent
views on the part of men from all sec
tons of the country. There were ne
party alignments. In the house the
volunteer plan was supported by q
large number Of Democrats, compos
ing most OF the leaders. In the senate
the majority was with the president
including many of the most prominen
members of the Republican party.
In some respects this debate wa
the most important that has takel
place since the civil war because 0
the great principles involved and tn
fact that 1t must be "A turning point IL
our military management IL the plal
of the administration was TO be adopt
ed. On this account intense interes
was shown, particularly when mel
who had been long recognized as lead
ers entered the discussion for or agains
the CONSUMPTION plan.
An Inevitable Conclusion.
One feature of the army discussion
pointed to the inevitable concluslol
that d great many men felt that th
United States has been forced into I'd
war against the desires of a large pr
portion of the people. At various time
1t was intimated that the press or til
country had brought about war cond
lions. Speaker Clark in his address
against the CONSUMPTION plan requote
an interview that he gave a few week
before in which he said, Put the et
itors I'm the front rank where the ngh
ing is to take place" He added tina
this interview had not been given an
7 wide publicity.
: Congressman Fordney of Michiga
In a speech supporting the bond issu
] and reverting to the subject of raisin
D revenue advocated an increase OF tn
:, postage rates on newspapers and per
/. odicals with the fiat assertion that ii
Q press had brought on the war.
: Such utterances as these give an Il
dication of the feeling among men
: prominence with regard to the entI
: of he United States into the worl
war.