American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-17
CONGRESS- AND rmE WAR.


Things are not g0ing very well IN
Washington Everyone at the capital
knows this. oven those who are TO
blame Much OF the trouble was I'M
evitabie. Commencing a war OF this
magnitude with the machinery left hy
the nryan-Daniei antiprepnrcdnoss
feaEue waH a good deal like trying 10
move q d~readnuught with the engine
of an "autored Trouble was 10 be
expected, but such a state OF confu
sion al has existed in some depart
msnts waa not Ia the Imagination OF
anyone who thinks American eff
cheney exists outside the domain OF
tavern argument and Fourth-of-Juiy
oratOry
Many newspapers are silent. Al
present ii Is not considered patriotic
90 criticize mo administration ~ rs
hard 90 select from the mass OF lnef.
nciency piled up by the department
specific Instances Of enough impor
tance la themselves 20 interest q pub
ic that has not awakened 90 the fatal
seriousness Of the war II BIS possible
that 81 wiil not be- until somo great
calamity overtakes the country that
nach occurrence as the protraCted
and ~disgracefui controversy in the
shippiug board will seem more aig
nincant than a comic ROW
AZ the same time the fact is dawn
inE on the minds of "a considerable
part OF the public that there have been
blnnders aud that these plumbers have
coat ihe country much lea reputation.
and may eventually cost II more in the
sacrifice of the lives of our soldiers.
AZ trying 90 identity the h%lundcrer. the
newspapers mud congress- la the easiest
object OF attack
n Is biE and impersonai and as a
whole. unpopular The newspapers
naturally report ouiS the R%illiost,
which are also the most amusing.
~nprcches uu the floor The sound aud
honest work oi the committees is neg
iecied hecauae it h. never apectacu-
lar but % ls ouly Justice to the Nom
beers of the sixty nth congress- 90 aay.
that close attention Co the record OF
the session shows hat they ave risen
tp their rusppnsibilities With "a degree
81 u~naeinshneas that ia rarely found
Ga political bodies.
partlsauship has an hut disappear
80 from discussion of important mea
Hurcs FAKE thc situation iu The SEN
ate Hnsncc committee. for example.
In the aork OF drawing a reycnuc BIN
a. satisfy the huge and ouen orratic
demands of the departments party limos
no longer exist Republican leaders
work Ia complete accord aith Chair
man simmons and other Democrats
Their on9 purpose Is 90 meet the M
hcard-of requirements OF the war while
avoiding the iuNlCtiou 90 unnecessary
hardship uu che ~taXpayiug public 10
is rasy Tor the administration 90 ask
for $4,000. 0o0.0 900 hat To- raise that
aurn ODD taxation so distributed that %
~ill NOT become ndiousiy burdensome
d. "a task hose complexities are be-
yond the understanding OF the press
agents of the navy and war depart
rnenia Newspaper publishers ought
80 know this. for they ran plainly see
hos difficult the comparatively simple
matter of Imposing a just war tax and
reasonable postal rates Ia their own
business has become
Aet any person who believes ON
NrtfH ta hamperinE The administration
CONSIDER utai congress has lone
~ voted Nar against Germany all
though q large faction OF the prosi-
dents oan party was opposed 90 the
ALVIN
u has authorized. or d prepared 20
Authorize the expenditure hy the Rd-
miuisiration ihis year of q sum which
senator Smooi reesons at $4,000. 000.-
600
Or pasaed. almost without dissent. a
a radical "a unprecedented con
r~cription hul
r. has placed In Mr. wilson hands
the most a1tacrAtic power ever held
b. a president
u has permitted him to seize pri-
waite property. commander supplies
and control means of transportation.
place embarEoes at will upon exports.
create commissions % foreign coun-
tries. advance billions % dollars 90
foreign governments. and appoint
thousands o. government officials
from private life.
"A IN example uf The way congress
robstructs, look at its handbag OF
the aircraft appropriation AT the
simple request Of the administration.
without explanation OF The details
congress appropriated over 5000. 600 :
600 70 be used IN the construction Of
airplanea.