The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-05-14
Few There Think That Our
Forces viii Be Engaged.
MUST PREPARE FOR WORST


BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, May II. Especial -
our people may be deceived in regard
to the duration OF the war. Here In
the capital Of the country, where war
conditions are a constant subject Of
discussion, we can find few people who
think that the American forces will be
engaged to any extent In the war In
Europe.
In the first place. il Is said TO be i'm
possible TO organize, arm, equip, drill
and otherwise prepare "A large body
of American troops within eight or ten
months. The opinion prevails to a
large extent that the war will be over
within "a year or less.
May Be Prolonged.
Few people in this or any period of
the worlds history are SO gifted in the
line of prophecy as to present any re
liable facts and figures to sustain the
hope Of our people that the part which
the United States Is TO play In the wan
il simply that of furnishing funds and
supplies without the use OF American
troops upon the blood stained battle
fields of Europe.
Ii would be far better for u people
TO look the situation In the face. liz Is
probable that the central powers, hav-
ing withstood the great onslaught made
upon them, will continue To fight des-
perately for some time to come. While
Ii Is most devoutly to be wished that
the hopes of those who want the war
TO end very soon will be realized. II
Is well for our people to be prepared
for its prolongation and TO make ar
engagements accordingly.
a Difficult Task.
Ii lis the ambition of nearly every rep
resentative TO become a member OF the
ways and means committee OF the
house, and yet few envy the task of
framing a revenue measure to raise the
immense sums of money necessary to
carry on the war. In some particulars
they are not harassed as they are
when an ordinary revenue bill IL fran
ed In times of peace. for at those times
an effort il made to secure taxes in the
least ~burdensome manner. But at pres
snt, when people know that they must
contribute literally to the support of
the government, there are still great
difficulties ahead, as Ii Is no easy mat
ter to frame a bin which will not do an
injustice and secure money from those
who can best afford the expenditure.
One thing is certain, the people of the
country must make up their minds TO
pay heavily for the part which the
United States will take in the great
war.
Boys In the Civil War.
For many years there has been go.
ing the rounds OF the country a story
about boys fighting In the civil war.
Many a man has taken a shot at IL. |
have made a spread on IL myself as 1t
has been published time after time In
the Congressional Record. William Al
den Smith of Michigan and Knute Mel
son of Minnesota have told the story In
the senate, while Augustus p. Gardner
of Massachusetts and others have told
ii i'm the house. Statistically inclined
individuals have stored Ii In their
minds.
And now along m General Me
Cain, a matter Of fact adjutant general
of the army, and knocks 1t all into a
cooked hat. He shows that no compu-
tation vas ever made and that the best
estimate that can be made from the of
fetal Investigations In the war depart
ment is that the average age OF soldiers
who fought In the civil war was TWEEN
ty-eight years.
Represents His People.
Before the vote was taken on the
army bill Congressman Garner OF Tex
as declared himself plainly In regard to
tion," he said. II do not believe In
1t. but my people want It, and | think
/ will In this instance represent the
people of my district"
Then Garner showed why he and a
lot more men In congress who did not
believe in CONSUMPTION voted for 1t.
Dc you know" said the Texan, that
uO man ever HNpu III IulS OuutT WHO
had the people SO completely with him
as Woodrow Wilson? Stand by the
president is the motto Of nearly all
the people. They believe that any
thing he wants should be promptly
voted"
Beresford and McCumber.
Lord Beresford, the famous English
navy man who wanted to do more for
small craft of his navy long before the
war began, is alarmed over the man.
ner in which the submarines have been
destroying shipping. Beresford has
nothing on Senator McCumber OF
North Dakota. who is constantly warn.
ing the country about the submarine
menace and frequently telling the sen
ate that the German submarines are
the great danger in the present war.
In this belief McCumber is joined by
more than a few legislators and Off
Gals In Washington, who hold that the
United States must beat the submarine
II We are to win the war.