The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-05-28
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

Washington, May S.-tSpecinl. J.
Getting ready for u war is "A serious
task. 1t Is almost impossible for any
government not constantly on a war
footing to plunge into war and begin
lighting at once.
In nearly every conflict In which the
United States has engaged the govern
ment has been forced to proceed In a
haphazard manner because the country
never is kept In a state of military eff
ticiency. Ii Is unfortunate, too, that,
while very much money has been ex-
pended ON the army and navy and that
there ought to be good organizations
OF both branches, the army has not
been made efficient.
Ii Is useless to point out nov how
the s~elfshness Of men who desired
army pc rs. the disagreements between
army q ers as to what should be
done and the lack of good hard sense,
or, rather, perverseness. ON the part OF
men In control OF military affairs pre-
vented the United States from having
an efficient fighting force when 1t was
needed. II is a fact. and the govern
ment must do the best II can with
what 1t has On hand.
Must Take Prsos utiona
There must be some precautions tahs
EN- 1t would not do to send 10000
men abroad without sufficient means
for their transportation and sufficient
nuttpnnnt - xaaLa thavn 80 aa~vtaa ~.
the battlefelds Of Europe. From the
time war was declared work In the oil.
lection of getting men ready has been
I'm progress, but II has beer slow, due
In part to delays I'm congress and large.
ly TO the fact that the 10 called nation
al defense law and the army legislation
heretofore passed were practically
worthless In a great emergency.
Unnecessary Contests.
Much time has been spent In con-
gress Owe unnecessary contests
Weeks were wasted on the espionage
without that bill, and much time was
consumed over the wholly unnecessary
censorship provision. which the senate
rejected. Many instances of similar
wastes OF time might be- cited. One
was the contest over the Roosevelt di-
vision. The president had It In his
power all the time to reject Roosevelt,
and there was no use wasting time try
ing to get congress to do the same
thing against its will.
Many other matters OF no great I'm
portance have occupied much time
which might have been left until more
important matters were disposed OF,
but congress has not been In entire
sympathy with the administration.
and there have been setbacks to policies
OF the government.
Giving Members . Chance.
When the bill for the temporary in
crease of the navy came into the house
from the senate Minority Leader Mann
asked Ii an amendment had been add
ed allowing members Of congress to
join the navy. Chairman Padgett re
piled In the affirmative, saying the age
limit was fixed at sixty years.
II do not care II senators and mem
bers up to 100 years resign and Join
the navy" replied Mann, but l do not
desire to amend the constitution or at
tempt to amend In this way. Proba-
bly, there was no one In the senate who
knew there was a constitutional pro
hibition against It." he added by way
of sarcasm.
Padgett added q further comment.
81 imagine that a sixty-year-old sena-
tor or representative In the enlisted
force Of the navy would be about as
useful ms a blind dog chasing a pig In
high rye"
Az u Locked to Gallivan.
During the debate on the proposition
to give Roosevelt an opportunity to
raise a division Congressman Gallivan
Of Massachusetts, said, "In my judg-
ment, IL this debate lasts long enough.
instead Of having performed a great
patriotic act in Offering to raise a divi-
sion to go across to the firing line,
Theodore Roosevelt will be convicted
of a high crime and misdemeanor."
Tax on "0as."
Congressman Howard Of Georgia
was speaking on the revenue bill and
was interrupted by Meeker OF Mis-
souri,, who is quite a talker. Would
you put a tax Of 8 cents on gas?' ask
ed Meeker.
why, sure" replied Howard, land
! would derive a greater revenue from
the gentleman from Missouri than
from any other source"
May Not Let 6orah Go Out.
Out In Idaho there Ia a movement on
foot to prevent Senator Borah from
leaving the senate. The people Of that
state take the view that a mar can be
drafted for the senate as well as for
the army. They are talking Of going
right ahead and re-electing him and
making it plain that his services to
the country are such that he cannot
refuse to continue In the senate.