The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-04-19

cred the subject Of postal salaries
more important than the big meas
ures Of finance, war and commerce.
and In fact any other subject that has
come up during the session. The in
terest manifested in one bill alone,
that increases the salaries Of post Of.
fee employees outside Of the city Of
Washington, aroused more intense In
terest than almost any other single bill
that has been before congress. It
certainly resulted In more lively de-
bates-"scraps" they might be called.
as they often developed into wordy
contests between members on the floor
wherein each tried to bawl the other
out and the man with the loudest voice
had the advantage. At such times the
presiding officer would nearly split his
gavel trying to maintain order, but
without success.
Perhaps the interest OF all the men,
bers Of the house In the salary Ques-
ton a be explained BY the fact that
they know about salaries and wages,
while they are not so very well In
formed about high finance and similar
subjects. The real explanation, how
ever, Is that nearly every member has
q constituent who is more or less in
terested in the question Of salaries OF
government employees.
II is quite likely that many things
will be done on account Of the war,
and among them we may finally reach
q point where price fixing VIII be
adopted. Notwithstanding the dec
lamatiOns against 1t that have been
heard In both houses Of congress, and
the assertion that we have passed no
law authorizing anybody to fix prices
Of commodities, 1t Is a fact that there
has been a great deal Of price fixing
on many Of the important articles OF
commerce In this country. And what
is more, there will be a general price
fixing II the so-called "profteers" con-
tinue to abuse the patience Of the gov
eminent by charging e~xorbltant prices
for the necessaries Of life.
There are a great many things which
the war may do before 1t is ended, and
this much may be set down as certain:
Whatever Is necessary to win the war,
that will be done, whether 1t Is tx
ing prices Of commodities, fixing wages
Of labor, or doing anything else that
Is required to make a success Of the
greatest undertaking Of all time.
The United States senate has a way
all its own and no other Legislative
body or business organization proceeds
In a like manner or under similar
rules. The senate will start In earn
estly on n subject and debate 1t for
a little while In the maning. Then It
will shift to another and there will be
talk on that. Perhaps a very impor-
tant bill will be brought up. Dozens
of senator's will descant upon Its i'm
portance, and after that bill has been
under vigorous discussion, oftentimes
with important amendments suggest.
ed, 1t will be laid aside and another
taken up.
Sometimes senators complain OF this
method of doing business and the In
congrulties Of such methods of legis-
lation are pointed out. why not
take up a measure and finish 1t and
then 20 on to something elseF' they
often ask. Probably from the time the
senate has been In existence, certainly
for at least so years according to men
who have been around the body that
long. the senate has been proceeding
very much along the lines that are
now In vogue and the answer to all
the "why" questions has been the same
as 1t Is now; that is, such questions
are never answered.
The thirst for luxury and amuse-
ment which Is said to be n Of the
predominant traits Of the American
people is one that could very well be
suppressed to q greater extent during
the war than II has been % far, IL We
are 10 believe q great many students
public affairs. Senator Thomas OF
Colorado voiced the feelings Of 3 good
IL number of his colleagues when he
the ~tea fights" cabaretS
hotel orchestras and -dunkeys" the
Of Broadway, and all the other
-deyices Of the devil" which were per.
mlssabie In peace time. '0ver rs all"
asserted Thomas, STALKS the specter
Of possible defeat. May It never come;
II II does Il viii be due to our indiifer-
ence TO our duty and our failure to
meet q world crisis fraught with terri
bile consequences TO humanity sad 10
The Colorado senator does not for
an instant believe In cutting out ev-
ery source Of amusement but he does
teei That the people shoaid be ready
t- saerihee 10 some measure now N
order to prevent far greater sacrifices
nter.
The stxe Of n
Kaiser-what IL that racket IN the
street under my imperial vtndowf
Attendant - Please. your majesty,