The Washington herald., 1918-02-25

We must differ with Dave Law
renee. again.
He is SO conservative that he
wouldn't have Herbert Hoover and
Will McAdoo engage in a sharp
epistolary discussion within sight
of the country.
Dave thinks It is not a good
thing to do.
We think 1t is, a very good thing.
in fact.
For 1t not only gives the people
pretty clear conception of the in
ner workings of things, but 1t IL
lustrates how absurdly out of har-
mony our machinery can become
when its work isn't co-ordinated. If
a good example had not been shown
up to this time, of the desirabi1ity
OF bringing our war activities to-
gether in a business-like way. this
certainly would suggest to the
| average thinker what should be
done in this direction.
Let Dave worry not over this
n-andabove-board display of
| their hands by these two leaders
of men. The people will benefit
immensely by this. And they
would benefit immensely more If a
number Of other departments would
do the same thing-and If a num-
Der of still other departments had
| discussed matters in this way,
many, many weeks ago.
Such a discussion is a mark of
progress. The Lawrence variety is
one of utter conservatism. One
makes us-the other kind would
| break us.
Hop to 1t, Hoover and Mac. We
don't want to shift our attention
from the big task we have in hand,
but we believe If you two would
give us straight goods like this all
the time we can do the Job up bet
ter and just a mite quicker than we
could otherwise.
II President Wilson has his way,
the Democrats of Minnesota will
not even put up a candidate to run
against Canute Nelson for the
Senate.
The President is very much in
I terested in the Minnesota race, we
are told, and he Is bringing some
mighty strong pressure to bear to
make the race a pleasant little hol-
iday affair for Canute, the Repub-
lican.
Democrats and Republicans are
somewhat nonplussed about this, to
say the least. The Republicans are
glad to gain Canute, If he will re-
main regular with them most of
the time, while the Democrats
wonder what would happen If their
party met unexpected reversals
next fall in some of the States and
lost the margin in the Senate by a
single vote.
Then, some Of the Democrats are
wondering what might happen in
the other States. Idaho Democrats
are wondering If the Borah faction
in that State will make way for
| Nugent's election. Mr.. Borah has
been showing signs of a wonderful
non-partisan spirit of late and II
would not be at all inconsistent
with his utterances, along this line
to lend aid to such a plan. These
Idaho Democrats would welcome
this. of course, but some of Mr.
Borah's friends are wondering what
Republicans might say to his plan
There are so many possibilities
one hates to chart them all on a
busy Monday morning with plenty
of other news to attract the reader
All we can add right now is a word
that it might be well to watch
some of the "goins on" here and
there from now on. Well try and
report them in this column for you
too. SO II you'll have patience, gem
tie reader, you can get them here
| hrst-hand.
We heard a Congressman say the
other day: IT wish I could say some
Of the things Il ought to say and
want to say. And would say them ii
didn't want to come back. II
said them the country where I live
would never understand, becaus,
they don't know things as I know
them. Oh, woe Is me.''
This was his statement to a dot.
| As far as we are concerned, as Ions
as the things he wanted to say were
not actually treason to this govern
ment, II We were in his boots, we'd
say those things or bust. We don't
think much Of a member Of Congress
who lacks courage.
Retailers Of the country are making
quite a determined impression on theil
Representatives here asking for the
| payment of their war taxes In foul
| quarterly installments instead of q
lump sum in June. The effect win bs
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