The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-07-23
Dear Senator: We Deem
1t Rude, the Way They're
RObbing Us For Food

United States Senator Reed, friend of
the food robbers, attacked Herbert c.
Hoover. our food administrator, maybe,
rs President Wilson desires, but not if
United States Senator Reed, friend of
the food robbers, can prevent 1t.
Hoover having been attacked, for hav-
ing cornered the bean market in behalf
of starving Belgium, we believe it was,
Senator Phelan, of California, rushed TO
his defense.
Reed said Hoover had spent the most
of his later years away from home.
1t appears to have been the under
standing of Senator Phelan that Senator
Reed has spent the most of HIS time in
his own bailiwick, and the result was
what?
Poetry.
Just as sure as you're a foot high,
poetry.
With this barbed shaft did the senator
from California retort, in behalf of
Hoover:
How much the fool who has been sent 10 roam
Excels the fool who has been kept at home.
1t seems it is not unconstitutional 10
recite poetry in the United States senate,
and that it is not violation of the rules,
particularly when the most important
item under the head of urgent business
is the killing of time.
So Senator Phelan took another
chance.
Senator Reed expressed some fear that
Hoover, once vested with the power of
food administrator, might refuse to give
that power up after the war, and the
next Phelan effort was a quotation from
Byron, anent George Washington:
Where can the wearied eye repose
When gazing on the great,
Where neither guilty glory CLOVIS
Nor despicable state?
Yes; one the first. the last the best
The Cncinnatus Of the West
Whom envy dare not hate.
Bequeath the name of Washington
To make man blush, there is but one
1t is noticeable that the Frisco SEN
ator, in quoting Byron, chided him for
not having written it but two"-Nash-
ington and Hoover.
1t is suggested to us, as we learn that
poetry is deemed effective upon congress,
that just possibly we have been making
the mistake of addressing our communi-
cations to that illustrious body in prose
Perhaps the thing that is needed is
verse, something on this order:
Have you fellows in our congress heard that war
has been declared?
That the very last potato out Of storage has
been pared?
Have you heard that while wlndjamming in your
SNUG official group
There's nothing on the menu when we've finish
ed with the soup?
The soldier boy whose bravery We praise up 70
the skies
Has asked to porterhouse again before he
dies.
You've asked of him to NIL trench in France
across the foam;
What provision you making for the folks he
leaves at home?
For democracy he'll hold the fort until his dying
breath
Do you think his wife or mother, left at home
should freeze 10 death?
We would like TO have your interest for those
who'll make the line
Or haven't you an interest except in beer and
winey
How would something like that do for
q recitation before congress?
Or would 1t be better 10 try something
more high brow.
Something on "Procrastination" would
be in order, perhaps; something like Til
lotson wrote:
Is not he imprudent, who seeing the tide max
ing haste towards him apace, will sleep till tho
sea overwhelms him?
~ II