The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-04-30
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington. April 30 Especial -
Var legislation which no Que wonld
have dreamed of a short time a.o Is
now pushed through CoAErC r-t1
great rapidity. Evidently congress In
tends to do all it can to further the
prosecution of the war against Ger
many.
Congressman Butler OF Pennsylva-
MIA, a Republican and the ranking
minority member of the committee ON
naval affairs, voiced the view of IA
great many members of congress dur
ing the discussion of one OF these war
measures when he said hat he was "A
"submissimist." He was willing to
submit to whatever the administration
thought was necessary to carry on the
war.
Commander In Chief.
sometimes wonder whether the peo-
pie of the whole country realize how
much is meant by the words com
mander In chief of the army and
navy" words used In the constitution
which In times of war vest In the
president of the United States more
power than the ear of Russia had be-
fore he was dethroned, more power
than IL possessed by the kaiser of Ger
many, more power than any man ever
had In any modern government.
There IL nothing that the commander
In chief In the United States cannot do
In time OF war. He is absolute. The
only check Is that congress must make
appropriations every two years. But
there never was "A congress-in time of
war-that was not under the control
of the president. the commander In
chief.
The President Wins.
Ii is not surprising under these cir
cumstances that the president wins In
any contest he has with congress-. The
president got just the kind of wal
declaration he wanted. lie had the
kind of bond bill passed which suit
ed him. lie had various other war
measures passed in accord with his
desires. Even in the matter of con
scription, opposed by 80 many men. he
has his way.
Stand by the president" is the
strongest phrase that has ever been
framed. Ii means that, no matter
what IA majority OF the people may
think or what their representatives
may believe wise, whatever the presl
dent wants must be granted.
Loyal Letters.
Thousands of letters. petitions, reso
lutions and. in fact, all kinds of doeu
ments are being received by senator's
and representatives indicating the 10y
atty OF the people of the United States
to the government at the present time.
These communications come from civic
bodies and various other kinds of or
ganiZations and from individuals.
Many OF them contain suggestions as
to what ought TO be done. advice TO
senators and representatives and to
officers OF the federal government.
For d time the columns OF the Con
%gressional Record overtlowed with
these communications until protests
We're made by many senator's. and
there has been an effort during the
past few days to keep out of the Rec
ord all such matters as far as possible.
or course only comparatively few pco-
pie read the Congressional Record, and
Ii Is impossible for the press of the
country to carry even a small proper
ton of this class OF literature and give
1t publicity. Thu loyal feature OF II.
however, Is gratifying to the govern.
ment at a time when the nation is pre-
pairing for its part in the greatest war
OF history.
Guards Everywhere.
In these days of uncertainty 1t is
found necessary to place guards almost
everywhere. but even with the pre-.
cautions that have been taken in re
gard to public buildings In Washing.
ton one man was able to break into
the committee on naval affairs of the
senate one night, and it was supposed
that re was In search of information
relative TO the navy. Il do not un.
derstand," said Senator Ollie James
of Kentucky. how that fellow man.
dSeu 10 SecTete nlHlSeil LII the apitO Ill
view of all the precautions that have
been taken"
There are hundreds of hooks and
corners In the capitol building which
would make hiding places, but In the
future every one of them will be look
ed into when the building is closed fol
the night.
Foreigners Willing to Serve.
Congressman James has made up 4
list OF thirty-five names of men VIII,
offered to enlist at Ironwood, Mich.
and remarkable fact about the lis
ers. With a few purely American
names are those of Polish, Austrian
Scandhla Wan, Finnish. Italian. French