The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-09-21
NOTES AND COMMENTS

1t is noticeable fact that the atti-
tude of organized labor in the United
States, since this nation entered the
war, has been such as to raise both
the leaders of the organization and the
rank and file of the membership at
least 100 per cent in the estimation of
the people. Sponsored by such man
as Samuel Gompers, any State and
any city will hang out the sign of
welcome for a meeting of the dele
gates and representatives. Organized
labor has stood the test.
The presence of an autonomous
Polish army on French soil, fighting
at the side of the French, under its
own banners, is indeed, as the dis
tinguished Pole has put it, "the first
concrete and positive act towards the
realization of a Polish State" And
on the Galician front the Polish Lane
ers win the gratitude of Kornilloff by
their magnificent and repeated charg-
es at a crucial moment. The Russian
general speaks of the Cavalry of the
sister army, and bestows ten crosses
of King George on each squadron Of
the victorious regiment. Time has
confirmed Kosciusko's indignant pro-
test at the famous but spurious "Finin
Poloniae", which he was credited with
at the battle of Maciejowice. No
thing but blasphemy, he termed the
anecdote, and so the Polish peasants
with their scythes have proved over
and over again, and so the Polish SOL
diers are again proving, to the hilt, on
the battlefields of France and of Rus
STA.
The Yale, the Harvard, the Old Col
ony, the Massachusetts, the Bunker
Hill, the other passenger boats IA
miliar to travellers between New York
and Boston, either by the South or out
side lines, are, it is announced, to be
taken over by the Navy Department
and converted into anti-submarine
craft. 1t requires something of an
effort to imagine them engaged in
war, so peaceful has been their call
ing for many years; but, since they
have got to do their bit, the main thing
is that they shall be equipped to do it
creditably.
It is not very often that three mem
bers of one family take the town by
storm simultaneously, but this the
record of the Geddeses-push-and-go
Geddeses, they have been termed. Sir
Eric Geddes has not long become First
Lord of the British Admiralty: he has
done a great many things and aston
ished a vast number of people since
the war began; his brother, DR.. Camp
bell Geddes, is now the head of ma
tional recruiting on civilian basis
to be entrusted with the writing of
a fresh chapter in the history of re-
cruiting at this stage of the proceed
ings is, in itself, the highest testi-
mony to high qualities. The third
Geddes to win prominence is the sis
ter of these two brothers, Mrs. Chal-
mers Watson, who, after performing
valuable services in France, has now
become commander-in-chief of the new
Women's Auxiliary Army Corps,
whose numbers will, probably, quite
shortly run into six figures.
Thus far in its career, the Peoples
Council movement seems to have fail
ed to develop an intrepid leader of the
General" Coxey or the Governor
White stamp. How uninspiring is a
march on Washington by the Pull
man and dining-car route, compared
with the tedious and eventful trek of
Coxey's army, or the threatened
stampede of Governor Waite's be-
bridled cavalry in Colorado! That the
movement is leaderless is probably
not due to thoughtless oversight
Causes worthy of the name are never
so deprived, because every great
movement inspires some man or some
woman capable of directing it. The
mob does not. Because of this the
movement on Washington will prob
ably never be more formidable than
that which was attempted in Minneso-
ia, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
COSTA Rica, Guatemala, Honduras
Nicaragua, and Salvador, regardless
apparently, of what others may think,
persist in talking of possible terms
upon which they may unite in Cen
trail American Federation. They seem
to be fully conscious of the skepticism
which such a project arouses, and the
fact that this has not been permitted
to interrupt their negotiations should
be regarded as an encouraging sigh
On the score of economy, certainly
each and all would make a great saw
ing by consolidating their govern
ments, and there can be no question
that they would be politically stronger
united than they are as individual re-
publics.
Some one has let it become known
that the hat checking privilege at 6
Brooklyn IN. W cafe has been leased
for $4,000 year. Should not this fact
be brought to Mr.. Hoover's attention
as an example of useless extravaganza
connected with dining? One habitua
diner-out has estimated that every
hat he wears costs him at least $50
in addition to its original price, be-
cause he has to buy it back so Otter
from the unblushing hat boys anC
! girls.