The Washington herald., 1917-03-25
Interesting Chats
From Hotel Lobbies

Even a pacinst will change his mind
once in a while" said II. NJ. Galloway,
one time leader OF the pacifst element
in Iowa. who is stopping at the Willard
do not think every pacifist is a pupil
of w. ]. Bryan" he continued. Il. anc
great many others in the Middle West
want peace. and want il quickly. but We
are not going to swallow anything thai
comes along The best way to diff
ferentiate between the different groups
of pacihsts is to note their utterances.
be then able to see who of US are really
sane and who are not.
There is a big difference between an
honorable peace and a dishonorable
peace. While the ma jority Of the people
in the Middle West are not for rushing
into war without a good excuse; they are
not sidestepping an opportunity 10 prove
they are not too proud to fight.
The Western element can fight as
hard as any in the country and il the
cause is just. then look out. Eastern
papers have delihera ateIy misrerresented
the spirit OF the West in regard 10 the
preparedness. movement They want
thorough prepa ardness. not slipshod.
hurry-ur methods OF defending the
nation against foreign foes.
TT is very true that in case Of invasion
the Middle West would be the last TO
feel the iron heel Of the invader. but who
are the coastal States going to fall back
on IL II is not the Middle West. We
would have TO feed and rc-enforce both
coasts and fight of the traitors in our
own lines.
Therefore we are not such fooI
pacifsts after all. 1t is reasonable for
the Atlantic Coast States to be little
nervous when it comes to thinking
about war in their exposed condition"
The old adage. Necessity is the
mother OF invention is going to be very
forcibly demonstrated not only here, but
abroad after the war" said Dir. Jeffer-
son r. Wilkes. of Los Angeles and the
inventor Of the FIRST successful method OF
testing air in mines. who is a guest at
the Raleigh. when the American peo-
Pile are put TO It. they can outinvent any
race on earth.' said DR.. Wilkes. After
the war Europe will be forced to rack
her brains to find new devices to ease
the burden Of reconstruction. Especially
in her farming. Many things will be
hereafter done right on the spot instead
of waiting for an emergency like war TO
come along and force them to action.
The good roads movement will need
little boosting after the war. Foreign
governments have learned a lesson about
roads that they will never forget, and II
appears that we are due for the same
lesson.
Il have not the slightest doubt but
what invention along the line of agH-
cultural devices will accomplish more in
five years after the war than was ac-
complished twenty years before
Numerous incidents. such as the high
cost Of living, the car shortage and the
fuel shortage. all react in such a way
that brains are being modified in hither-
to unknown quantities to cope with the
problems. Something is radically wrong
with our transportation system. but our
roads are doing their best, shackled by
tradition and law as they are.
The high cost Of doing business has
been almost ruinous for small firms who
have been unable to get materials be-
cause larger concerns commandeered the
cars"