New-York tribune., 1918-12-16
Ready to Let Public Decide
on Ownership of Railways
After U. s. trO
Extols the Draft Boards
Pension Scandals Never Will
Be Repeated, He Says,
Praising Four Big Laws

After saving that he looked forward
IN his participation in future peace
.vents" William c. McAdoo reviewed
Amerjca's war achievements in an ad-
dress A. the seth Regiment Armory
Yesterday before the associated CON
sreeations OF six Episcopal churches
Of New York.
The moral courage and cohesive
spirit of the United States, he said,
were illustrated by the enactment of
four great. radical war measures which
the people authorized and backed in
the emergency. The greatest of these,
he said, was the bill which enabled
the Treasury Department. to raise bill
lions of dollars by popular loans. Next
in order came the draft law, the sold
iers' and sailors insurance act, and au
thorlzation OF railroad control by the
government
Mr.. McAdoo refused to forecast the
future Of American railroads. 81 won't
suggest whether | think we ought to
haxe public or private ownership" he
said We'll leave that to the people,
and have faith in their intelligence
to judge correctly, even if they did
seturn Republican Congress last cleo
ton. But by taking all lines in hand
during the war we announced that I'm
Gle Sam WAS on the track. en- route to
get the Kaiser. and we were given the
rght-of-way to victory"
non 00O ToOIy Jps,-or
The United States has underwritten
more than $4,000 100000 in life in
surance for soldiers and sailors, Mr..
McAdoo said. Three million men took
out the government policies, and the
average is $4,000 for each beneficiary.
Referring to military pensions, he
sald that the government policy had
made equitable provision for the men
and their dependents. THE old pension
scandals Will never be repeated" he
declared. political pull will not work
sny more. Every pensioner will receive
the money to which he is entitled,
without being forced to pull wires or to
go before Congress with his hat in his
hard"
"1here will be a fifth popular loan in
the spring. Mr.. McAdoo said. 81 don't
have to conduct it myself, but it is COM
ing, and I advise you to get ready for
1t. And | know you'll all subscribe to
your limit, as you did while the war
was on. We should be glad to go
around IN tatters, if necessary, in order
to bring book our soldiers and to pay
our debts of honor.
Willing to Give Money
"In previous loans thousands of pa
triotic citizens bought bonds under the
actual impression that they were Civ
ing money to the government and re-
ceVlng nothing IN value in return. |
received d letter recently from a West
ern farmer who had purchased $4,000
worth of bonds He not only thought
Re had given the money outright, but
asked me when we expected him to pay
the interest and where he should go
to do il.
THE selective draft absolutely de-
mocratized the war. To my mind we
modified the most magnificent army
ever sent out to fight. 1t was made in
g mlraculously short time from a c-
vhan population, and proved in valor
and skill the superior of the Kaiser's
great military machine. Our army
was made up OF equals fighting for
democratic ideals, and it was in
be one cOmpensating thing gained
by the war is a new national spirit of
militant idealism. 1t IS worth all we
have paid for IT.
Nhittlesey Tells of Hardships
Lieutenant Colonel Charles w. Whit
tesey, L. 5. A, commander of the IA
nous lost battalion," told the CON
gregation Of the spiritual effect of the
war OF the minds of soldiers who
passed through its hardships and dan
gers be appeared in civilian clothing
and mad, no reference to the exploits
that won MIN the Congressional medal
for valor
Mr.. McAdoo introduced Colonel
Mhittlesey at the close of his own ad-
oress. Il like Whittlesey's answer to
the Germans in the Argonne when
tney demanded his surrender" said Mr..
McAdoo.
Go to hell!' That was splendid
American defiance. 1t is now one OF
those records of valor that viii live
forever in American history" The con-
gregatlon stood up and surged forward
with cheers when Colonel Whittlesey
was identified among the guests on the
platform.
MY outstanding recollections of the
war concern not he courage of the
ne1, but their kindliness." sail Colo
nei Nnlttlesey. "Hardship and suffer
ing seems to bring fine peace of
innd, and to do away with malice and
bitterness. The boys who come back
won nate the Germans. Why they'd
snare their cigarettes with the Kaiser
nimsef If they met him on the field
after a battle
Won't Forget Higher Lessons
y have found it easy to come home.
laAe OIL my uniform and resume life
n.19 mnere l lett 1t. The others, no doubt.
De able to detach themselves from
M war out at the same time hope none
impaired"
Churches taking part in the exer-
Uses which celebrated the victory of