The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-03-01
DISCUSSIONS FOR
and AGAINST WAR
Advocates Of Either Side Often
Wax Bitter.
WHERE DISPUTES WILL END

When the Time Comes Every American
Citizen viii Stand sqvareIy Behind
the Government - Some Staggering
Figures Brought Forth by Shallen-
bergsr-Soms One Mentions 1920.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, March Especial -
Enough has t%ranspired In congress al
ready to show that one of tie serious
aspects of wal Is the bitterness that
II creates among people who have hith
erto had no reason to be enemies. The
debates thus far In congress show that
men become very bitter partisans on
n side or another and that In doing
80 become intolerant of the opinions Of
Others. For instance, a vigorous ad-
vocate of war and intensely bitter OPP
ponent OF Germany Is frequently held
up to scorn and criticised severely.
sometimes unjustly. Then there Is the
anti-war man, the so called paci1st.
who is held up as IA coward, unwilling
to do his full share to protect Amer
lean honor and American rights on
land and sea.
Where Will II End7
Az long as the controversy exists 1t
appears that the differences are becom-
Ing more and more acute, and the ques-
ton naturally arises as to where IL
will end. or course there can be only
one ending In case of war-every Amer
lean citizen will be obliged to stand by
the government, and anybody that ut.
tiers a word against anything the gov
eminent does In the way of national
defense or offense viii be set down as
disloyal. But there will be a bitter
feeling left, for, In spite of all, there
are a great many people who seem to
think that there Is no necessity of
plunging into the conflict that has cost
the world millions OF men and billions
In treasure.
Staggering Figures"
Congressman Shallenberger OF Ne
braska was talking about the army
and was using figures away up In the
billions-hve or six, for that matter
and telling how much more 1t would
amount to II such armies were raised
Is have been advocated.
They are staggering 6gures,'' re-
marked Congressman Fess OF Ohio.
"Oh, YES" responded Shallenberger.
Other figures more and more stagger.
Ing will be presented IL the United
States becomes involved In this great
war"
Playing With Words.
During the discussion of improving
the army We hear talk about "univer.
sal military training" which are words
substituted for compulsory service
They mean the same thing when IL
m down to business, for there can
be no universal military training un-
less the men are compelled to serve
and train.
1t reminds one of the days when
the word subsidy was unpopular In
connection with shipping and other
similar bills. Somebody substituted the
word ''subvention," but when 1t was
figured out II was found that 1t meant
subsidy.
Talk Of Bryan.
Isn't 1t possible" asked a New
Yorker, that William J. Bryan a
go before the people and defeat any.
body except Woodrow Wilson for the
Democratic nomination In 1902"
What's the use of talking about 1920
under the present conditions?' asked
the man to whom the question had
been addressed. The whole political
situation may be 20 changed that moth
ing Will be a precedent or a guide as
to what may happen when the next ma
tional campaign occurs. 1t is useless
to talk politics under present condi-
TONS
An lows ldea.
During discussion of the liquor ques.
ton In the senate Senator Cummins
came forward with another "Iowa
idea,' saying:
Il have for a long time been a pro
ponent OF the idea that we ought to
forbid absolutely all transportation In
intoxicating liquor from one state to
another, leaving each state to manu-.
facture and dispose Of its intoxicating
liquor according to the policy OF that
state"
And yet the time is not far distant
when many senators will vote for ma
tion wide prohibition In this country.
Reclaim Swamp Lands.
The high cost OF living has created a
demand for farm lands, and that will
make 1t imperative to drain and re-
claim the swamp lands of the country.
There are millions OF acres OF these
lands, and II the United States govern.
ment should take hold OF the matter
they could be made valuable producing
lands.
The flood control committee Of the
house was created for this purpose,
but what II needed is a definite swamp
land drainage system. just as there is
an IRRIGATION rvofom