The Washington herald., 1917-12-27

Some member Of the Senate Military
Affairs Committee can perform a real
service for his country before Con-
gress convenes on January 3.
And the member will he found on
that committee. we are quite sure. who
will perform this service.
We refer to the tempest in a teapot
which appears to have been caused
over the statement from France that
Gen. Pershing has issued orders al
lowing the men to use certain restrict
ed amounts of beer and light wines.
The country Is entitled to the truth
as to the situation. and if there is rea-
son for the general having issued the
orders a set of paid reformers here
should not be permitted to mislead
the country at large and perhaps seri-
ously endanger the success OF our
arms abroad.
If there is adequate reason for the
Issuance Of the orders the country
should know this. and there should be
no discrimination in favor of the men
abroad in the matter of drinking to
moderation. The chance Is here now
for some member OF the investigating
committee to stave of the airing of
the matter in the House when Con-
gress convenes by providing the
country with the precise reason why
Gen. Pershing took this position.
Just now 1t appears that there are
chances-unless some committeeman
Is found to settle the matter now by
getting testimony on the point from
Secretary Baker-that the effort of the
Prohibitionists to embarass Gen. Per-
shing in his handling of the situation
In France may grow into a rather in
teresting ARRAY.
There are also chances that It may
take on the form of a campaign
against cigarettes-much as many of
the real friends of the army hate to
see it do so-and that it may be a
campaign prosecuted with the utmost
vigor. If not vehemence.
The lawmakers at the Capitol are
ready for what comes. There are
some Of them, of course, who are
willing to aid any movement neces-
sary to make others good by legisla-
tive enactment. The majority, how
ever, are not ready to carry the
movement quite as far as the late
prohibition victories in both House
and Senate would indicate.
There il q line of demarcation
which numbers of the members seem
to see. They believe that while there
are certain steps which can be taken
with propriety, there are other steps
which cannot be properly taken by
Congress-or that. II taken, Congress
must accept full blame for what Ill
results follow in their wake.
There is belief at the Capitol that
Gen. Pershing did not issue the order
allowing his men to have beer and
light wine until ne had given the
most careful thought to the matter
and until he had considerably gone
over the conditions as found in France
at this time. Men here do not want
to set aside his Judgment, particular
ly at this distance, without having
some very good reason for doing 60
The matter will come to q head
after the holidays-unless as we said
before, the present Investigators learn
all the facts at once and lay them
before the country.
The objection is heard, the country
over. that a studied propaganda is on
to repeal the second class postal rate
provisions Of the war revenue bill.
The charge, however, is somewhat
iCSSchCu lH 6Ldflty "ueu one sees III
the Senators and Representatives
mail the enormous volume of pro-
paganda matter in favor of 1-cent let
ter postage and other postal reforms
which are predicated on misleading
statements of various kinds The fact
is that, at the present time, those
who are urging maintenance of the
second class rates, are themselves
rrnr,a r rdfafa of fha r,.aof nrIanf ro :
tgA And ths ysry "er!ns'' which