The Washington times., 1917-02-05
Here and There
In the News

on unknown persons carrying sus-
picious-looking parcels. Mistakes
may be made from time to time in
apprehending perfectly innocent per-
sons, but the more active and sleep
less the eyes of the law the more Sc
cure the feeling OF the people. On
Saturday a person evidently of for
eign birth or extraction sought ad-
mission to one OF the most important
public buildings in Washington. He
had In one OF his hands a little bun
die wrapped in paper which he seem
ed to carry with much concern. The
man at the door asked what the
package contained. The man with
the bundle was evidently embarrass-
ed, and declined to give the desired
information, at the same time insist
Ing that he should be admitted with
out exposure of the contents OF the
parcel he bore with him.
Deadly Weapons.
1t looked so much like a case Of
contraband that, the watchman de-
manding and the stranger denying
the right of search, the law prevailed
and the package was opened, with
excessive caution and within the folds
of the mysterious carton there came
into view-not sticks of dynamite to
which had been attached thine fuses
nor any very high explosive waiting
for the exact temperature conditions
to make II do its fearful work-a
modest consignment of pigs feet and
doughnuts. The stranger might have
been held for attempting suicide, but
not for threatening the public peace,
and he was permitted to go on his
way with apologies. When the com
mon mind is superheated by tales of
desperate enterprise, the guardians of
the general welfare cannot be too
vigilant in the discharge of their
duty. Pigs feet and doughnuts or
doughnuts and pigs feet are danger
Gus even in the most piping times of
peace; in times like these they should
be viewed with alarm.
Too Many Words.
What a pity that Senator Lodge SO
often spoils a noble utterance by
some qualifying phrase! For example,
when he heard on Saturday what the
President had done about the German
situation, pounding his desk with, one
Of his mailed fists, he exclaimed, with
that true? I didn't believe he would
do 1t; l thought there would be an
other note. I'm with him." and then
the Senator pounded his desk again
Why didn't he omit the words II
didn't believe" etc. and let It go: "Is
that true7 I'm with him" Nobody
really cares what Senator Lodge had
in his mind before the event-many
persons do not care what Is in his
heart now: but 1t would have been
worth while had he forgotten for the
moment his facility in fault finding to
emphasize his readiness for service.
Ben's National Slogan.
Nothing better was said at the
Capitol on Saturday than what was
said by Senator Tillman, when he ex-
pressed the sense of the vast majority
Of the people of this country:
We will do the best we can, and
I have no doubt that we will live
up to our past record In taking
care OF our rights and ourselves.
We don't take passes from any,
I body to go anywhere we damn
please on the seas.
That Is the best thing Senator TIL
man ever said. Pass It along, every
body. as the slogan OF the American
people: I'VE damn please on the
seas" You can't beat II. 1t rings like
fire bell in the night: I'VE damn
please on the seas"
Age Hath Not DImmed.
or course, the United States Is not
at war with Germany, not yet, and It
is hoped that the breaking OF diplo-
matte relations with the Kaiser's i'm
perial government may not lead to
hostilities on land or sea: but there is
no doubt that II the President should
call for men to uphold the rights of
this country they will be coming.
Father Abraham" as many million
strong as shall be necessary to save
this nation to the world. Two elderly
men of splendid physique-one seven
ty-four years OF age and the other
seyenty-five-who fought over fifty
wears ago, when they heard what the
President had done on Saturday said
that they were ready to answer any
call that might be made upon the
manhood of the country. 81 command
ed an Indiana regiment at Stone
Mountain many years ago, and am
ready to be baptized once more in fire
for the land 1 love and for which l
would die. I am seventyfour years
old, but in good condition, and sam
ready to serve wherever I am ordered
without pay. That would be doing
very we'll for "a" Said the other ell
DERBY mans "You are right, comrade;
put her thar'-Tm seventy-five. Let
her go!'
A Message to the President.
Henry A. Wise Wood sent a dispatch
recently to the President saying: For
Gods sake, be an American" One Of
the New York papers asked II It could
assume that he 'is the son OF the
Fernando Wood. who, In 1861. urged the
city of New York to secede and repudi-
ate all allegiance to the United States"
and H. A. w. w. (that looks almost az
as l. W. W.. and means. in
the language OF the South. going to the
left), has filled over half a column of
valuable space (and with white print
paper selling in some parts Of the South
at 5 and cents the pound y to say that
he is and that there is in me a strain
Of Southern blood" of which he Is
pround because 1t has been to him "a
stimulus to chivalric action" and so on
His Real Desserts.
His message TO the President. however.
could hardly be regarded as possessing
any of the qualities of chivalry. one Of
which is courtesy. Besides. there Is no
reason why he should apologize for his
father who was a fine man and who, in
spite OF his wish that New York should
cut Loose from the United States was