The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-07-05
Our Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, D. c., July 2, 1917.
With the Senate settled down to ten
day or three weeks debate on the food
control bill and the War Revenue bill
yet to be considered by that branch of
Congress, the last hope of an adjourn
ment before August first has disappeared
There was period, about the middle of
May, when it was confidently expected
Congress would conclude all necessary
war legislation and adjourn in time for
members to take part in Fourth of July
celebrations at home Instead of this,
that day they will be buying palm beach
suits and figuring how to keep cool in a
decidedly hot town.
Indications are that it will be the mid
die of July before the food control bill is
disposed of, though there is possibility
that Saturday, July 7th, may see final
vote on it in the Senate. To those who
have not studied the bill now pending,
who only know that it's object is to re-
duce the cost of living, it may seem
strange the Senate will devote so much
time to this subject instead of rushing
the measure through. Those who have
studied this bill, for the most part, re-
gard it as class legislation 1t is aimed,
they claim, directly at the farmers. In
it's present form, so they contend, it will
ruin the agricultural interests of the
country without giving other classes the
desired relief. 1t is the object of the
Senate to whip the present bill into such
shape that these objections will be re-
moved and law enacted which will deal
Justly to ALL This is no small undertake
ing just what the food control bill
which finally gets by the Senate will be
like is difficult to predict
With solid Republican delegation in
Congress from Maine the representatives
of the Pine Tree State are giving fine
exhibition of team work. Through mis-
understandings there has been slight
Misrepresentation in the daily papers
which might cause people at home to get
different view. This has been particu-
larly true of Congressman Hersey and
White in connection with the Portland
harbor appropriation. This has now
been cleared up and there should be no
question, at this time, of their position.
These two congressman were hard and
fast behind the Portland item, as their
recent speeches in the House made GER
tain. The trouble grew out of the fact
that Messrs. White and Hersey felt that
most of the river and harbor bill was
"pork" rather than items of Importance
to the commerce and development of the
country. This gave rise to an idea up
North in Maine that they were opposing
the Portland item, which Senator Hale
had succeeded in having included in the
bill and favorably reported by the COM
mittee. The bill carried some $27, 900,
900 in appropriations and must stand or
fall as a whole; the Portland project
could not become effective independently.
DR.. G. E. Nicholas of Rockland has been
in Washington the past two weeks TAX
ing the examinations for the dental SER
vice of the navy. This is one of the
most difficult examinations of either the
war or navy departments. 1t is said that
only about one in sixty of those who take
it pass. DR.. Nicholas came through with
an exceptionally good rank and will go
into the service. The doctor is young
man with an excellent practice in his
home city and while here has made many
friends.
Senator Fernald of Maine was in Indi-
ana the last three days of the past week,
speaking in the campaign for the special
election in the sixth district of that
State.
Congressman Goodall of the first Maine
district has been on short business trip
to his home in Sanford, Maine.