The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-05-14
By W. V. BYARS.

/ Inc discussion became interesting,
as 1t was proposed to abolish or post-
pone the Postmaster Generals new
aeroplane mail service on the ground
tnat the demand for mail-carryinE
aeroplanes may interfere with the
war program. 1t was shown that.
as the Postoffice Department had al
ready been authorized by Congress
to begin the experiment. the addi-
tional appropriation of 100000 is
for experimenting with aeroplanes
which are not needed by the War
Department and not available for
war purposes. Action on the sec
ton was postponed.
This discussion merely kept up in
terest in the "aeroplane scandal" as
Senator BTandegee and the Military
Affairs Committee have now the re-
sponsibili:y for putting before the
public all that belongs to the discov-
cries announced by Mr.. Gutzon
Borglum, the aeronautiC sculptor.
All this must begin to develop from
the Capitol shortly. The only hint
put on record yesterday was in let
ter, submitted by Senator Brandegee,
| from Mr.. Leon Cammen, of the Aero
nautical Society Of America, on the
alleged dement's of the Liberty mo-
I tor, as inferred from newspaper re-
ports, read by Mr.. Cammen. He
said, among other things, that there
seemed 10 be all kinds of Liberty
engines" about as many as Sins in
the calendar" OF these only seven
are deadly" Perhaps some con-
cerned with the politics Of the issue
can name them.
The Senate finally adopted a con-
/ ference report, compromising with
! the House on the exemption Of medi-
cal and theological students from
the draft Only those already in
school will be exempted. The re-
{ markable thing is that on this minor
report there was a holly contested
debate on a bill the Senate had al
ready sent TO the President. The
issue was raised by Senator Johnson
of California, whose State had an
swered the Presidents call for val
unteers so freely that its volunteers
. outnumbar the quota charged
{ against it for cOnSCripts in the next
draft. On the surface, the issue was
between the original American syS-
/ tenn of raising troops in a Federal
! Union" and European systems which
represent the habits Of centralized
. empire. But below the surface the
whole discussion was really OF
/ Southern management Of the war IN
connection with the negro question.
! II was prepared for development. II
needed, As a political issue after the
war-or, perhaps, earlier. II Is best
. left below the surface.
! The House adopted a conference
report on the bill which will close
the country after Presidential proc
/ lamation. The hill now goes to the
/ President. The legislative approprI-
alton was sent back to conference
{ continuing the deadlock" The
House is refusing to agree with the
Senate, which struck out the Bor-
land amendment increasing hours
of work in the departments and re-
stored the appropriation for sub
, treasures, stricken out by the
House.
The Judiciary Committee present
( ed the Overman bill, and five hours
was agreed on as the time for gen
eral debate before beginning under
the five-minute rules, without limit.
The House debated the bill with
much earnestness, but with so little
novelty that all members except