The Washington herald., 1918-06-28


quite to the bottom by the members
of the committee named by Senator
Hitchcock, of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee to report on Sen
ator Gallinger's resolution.
A conference with the State De-
partment Is the first thing likely to
be undertaken. This means that the
matter may be encouraged before the
Congressional recess-and it may he
prolonged beyond that date many,
many moons.
The State Department has looked
with favor on the old administration
which some Of the members who are
familiar with affairs say was pro-
German. The present government,
which the State Department has rot
been friendly to. is supposed to be
distinctly pro-ally and for that
reason the members of the com
mittee appear to be anxious to deal
justice out as a reward to the
present government for its abiding
confidence in democracy.
There are advantages to be gained
from looking with friendliness apon
the Costa Rican government. None
of these have been overlooked by
Germany. apparently, because Ger
many long ago took steps to prevent
the successful termination of the
revolution there-and even after
wards tried to overturn the new gov
ornment after it had displaced Tho
Gonzalean' government.
Draft legislation naturally is of ex-
ceeding interest the country over.
There are a multitude of opinions on
the matter. The belief Of many
members of district exemption boards
Is that the minimum draft age should
not be lowered by any means, save
to let twenty-year-old youths go into
training a full year before they reach
their majority and then only so they
will be able to fight the day they
reach their manhood. The stretching
of the maximum is a different mat
ter. There are those who believe ii
should stop at S.. others who
say FIVE years beyond that and some
who think 50 should bbe the ex'
treme age. Congress indicates a
desire to leave some phases Of this
breach the recess and this plan. 1t Is
thought. will work no hardship be-
cause of the magnificently large
force of men now coming on and
which probably will require all the
camp forces we have to spare or will
have for some time.
Oh. what a sweet moment members
will have when they return to their
home greenswards to gambol once
more among the folks who sent them
here. StiTl there are some who go
hack with trepidation. They feel 1t
Is not to be received with smiles.
Other men have been making hay
with their constituents while they
have been away-and constituents
are the worst political fiirts in the
world II their members have not been
as true to them as they think they
should have been: There is only one
thing that palliates the grief of some
OF the members at this juncture and
that is that they will not have TO
wait long to tell whether they have
been divorced from their positions.
Adjustment of State railway com.
missions is one Of the ends sought by
railroad men nowadays-for we over.
heard two very prominent ! lilroad
men talking about this very thing the
other day in the halls. They insisted.
as one to another, that Federal regu-
lation did not bid fair to become + cd
era1 ownership, but that it would be
modified eventually into a pelmaneH,
Federal regulation with an almost en-.
tire wiping out of state regulation.
This plan Is not inconsistent with
the Republican platform of 1876. 1T Is
not Inconsistent with the decision rem.
dered by the Supreme Court when MIR.
Hughes was a member, and when tho
Shreveport rate case was on appeal tc
that branch from the Interstate Com
rnerce Commission.
!. All IN all. there may be many revo-
,iutionary things done in tine future
which were foreseen even two or three
years ago-and this Is looking back O
long ways when one thinks atcut II.
The state commissions. however, In
those States where they have become
very active bodies will fight he abel.
ishment with all energy. They nave
the backing of thousands Of their citi.
zens. too. ard 1t may be that the mat
ter will become an Immense issu,
even in the next Presidential elec.
ton.
In view Of this It might nottbe aniss
TO point out that the Democratic pas y
which fought the Republicans mos
jnsistently on their centralized rate.
making control plank. was the firsi
party to recognize the efficiency TO b
stjped BY cepfralizat ton. and 10 octp;
3I/<- mt Into of|ur< M rs I|& ~ <I<1.||.. s.