The Monticellonian., 1917-02-22
LEWIS PHONE BILL
PLAN FOR GOVERNMENT OWNER SHIP IN DISTRICT NOT LIKE
 " TO CARRY.
MEASURE DESIGNED AS TEST
Efforts to Put City of Washington in the Prohibition Column Rouses the Residents to Bitter BattIe-Lower House Must Decide.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

By GEORGE CLINTON.
 Washingtou.-For many days hear ings have been conducted before the house committee of the District of Columbia on the Lewis bill for gov ernment ownership of the telephone system in the District. The intention of the promoters of the bill was to test government ownership of the tele- phone system in the city of Washing ton, which is eoincident with the Dis trict of Columbia, with a view pos sibly to more extensive territorial ac- ton in the future.
 Representative Lewis of Maryland, who is the father of this government ownership proposition, will leave congress on March 1. It has been his desire to secure affirmative congress sional action during his term of of flee. This specific government owner ship proposition probably will come be- fore congress again. but the word is that it has little chance of enactment into law at the present session. The hearings therefore are held by the proponents of the measure to be at present valuable merely from the edu- dational point of view. The opponents of the measure say that there will be no chance to pass it at the next con- gross because opposition to it will be strengthened in the new body. The country must take it's choice between the two sets of opinions on the sub- ject.
 The District of Columbia which, as has been said, means the city of Wash ington, has been deeply interested ever since congress came together in two propositions, either one of which if en- acted into law would affect material Iy the business interests and the resi- dents of the district generally. Wheth CT they would affect them benefieially or detrimentally is. of course, entirely according to the viewpoint.
 Senate Passes Dry Bill.
 The Lewis bill for government own- ership of the telephone lines in the district held the center of interest i'll the house, while prohibition for the district held the center of interest in the senate. The upper house has passed the measure forbidding the sale and manufacture of intoxicating liquors in the capital city of the coun- try. The house committee now is con- sidering the same measure.
 The senators either have cleared their skirts or besmirched them, ac- cording as men view the thing, by their action on prohibition for the dis trict. Today the upper house men say, Tt is up to the lower house men" and so the prohibition bill has been sent over to the mercies of the repre- sentatives. It perhaps may go without saying that this prohibition bill has stirred the city of Washington as few other things have stirred it for a good many years.
 Prohibition in Washington is war like subject The advocates of dry legislation are as militant as any sol diers in Europe. The same word can be said concerning the advocates of a continued wet season in this city of legislation Words were not minced in the hearings which the senate com mttee gave on this subject nor are they being minced in the discussion in the corridors and committee rooms of the house. It is a battle royal, as someone has put it. between the black bottle and the water wagon.
 Debating Grayson's Promotion.
 The scenes of the other days have just been re-enacted in the United States senate. although this to say nothing of thunder and flashes of lightning. The senators have been discussing, with more than usual of theatrical accomplishments, the nom ination by President Wilson of Cary T. Grayson, United States navy, to be medical director and a rear admiral.
 As everybody knows, Doctor Gray son has been the naval aid and per sonal physician to the president ever since Mr Wilson came into office. More than this, he was for a time a medical adviser of President Taft. Doctor Grayson is, comparatively speaking, q junior officer of the medi- cal corps of the sea service. The president promoted him over the heads of 115 navy doctors to the post of medical director and rear admiral.
 1t is not the intention to enter into questions affecting Doctor Grayson's fitness for the rank to which he has been promoted, nor the policy which would jump one man over the heads of others of much longer service, but only to say that whenever promotion by selection occurs there always is trouble for the nominee, the nominator and the senators who must confirm the nomination
 Roosevelt Didn't Promote Wood.
 There is one curious thing which has accompanied this case of Doctor Grayson into the limelight. The in- stant that the young surgeon was named for high promotion, not only Washington, but the entire country said: "Well, didn't Theodore Roose- welt do the same thing to Leonard Wood, who was junior doctor in the medical corps of the army?'
 Years of service as Washington correspondent teaches men the truth of the old saying that It Is hard to catch up with falsehood. It is prob
 
 How Trees Keep Air Pure.