Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-03-20
PLAN FOR LASTING
PEACE IS FIRST
coNoREssMEN CONSIDER 1T IS
MOST IMPORTANT OF THE
PRESIDENTS PROPOSALS.
STRONG GUARANTY DEMANDED
Idea Will Be to Make an Ending of
Anything Like Future World Wars
Why Little Interest Seems Taken in
Important Legislation.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Misunderstanding ii is a long look
ahead to the time when the peace ne
! gotiatOrs will gather around a table,
yet peace proposals are still made and
peace conditions discussed. The IA
propositions which President Wilson
laid down In his address of January .
are the basis of discussion among men
Ia congress, and the one that many con-
slider most important of all is that
which refers to disarmament and guar
anteed peace of the world
There will be no stronger article In
the terms of peace" said Congressman
Thomas S. Butler of Pennsylvania, a
man Of Quaker descent, but who votes
Tor the vigorous prosecution of the
war, than that which provides for per-
manent peace. 1t may be that strong
navy will still have TO be maintained
by those who guarantee peace, in or
der to police the world, but If the senti-
ment of the people of this country is to
be felt 1t will certainly insist upon
| making the world peace guaranty as
strong as possible believe the other
peoples of the world are so weary of
war that they will also want to write
permanent peace in the strongest pos
sible terms"
Debates Cause Little Interest.
The lack of interest displayed in the
proceedings of both house and senate
may be attributed to the fact that the
most important legislation is now pre-
pared by the executive departments
and whipped into shape" or modified
to some extent, by committees. For
the most part senators on the Demo
cratic side have determined to support
the bills which the administration asks
for carrying on the war. A large num-
Der Of Republicans have made up their
minds to do the same. There may be
small minority Of Democrats who
would Ike to assert their opinion. and
do assert 1t from time 10 time, but
only two or three vote against legisla-
ton which the administration wants.
There are on the Republican side
number of senators who think that the
legislation asked for is too drastic and
some Of Ii unnecessary, and they are
inclined 70 express their opinions and
discuss the bills, but few votes are cast
against administration bills. The Dem
oeratic side having charge of the bills
must enter into a defense of them
That Is what prolongs the debate In
the senate. but 1t Is debate which
is not listened to by very many sena-
tors.
Even discussion OF the important
railroad bin fuiled to keep a quorum
In the senate and the most interesting
speeches on that subject were NOT lis
tened TO by more than a dozen sena-
tors.
Army Officers Expenses Heavy.
A naval officer sat in the gallery the
other day when the senate was dis
GUESSING a bill which provided that off
GERS of the ormy and navy could OBJ
tain their Uniforms at cost from the
government This bin was put
through by the energy of Senator
Jones OF Washington, who upon COM
plalnt investigated and found that
most Of the officers in the army were
almost debarred from service on ac-
count of the high cost Of their uni
forms and equipment. II is not gen
orally understood by the people
throughout the country that an officer
must purchase all of his supplies, not
only his uniform, but his fighting
equipment and his tent equipment,
ey erything In fact which is furnished
to the enlisted man free by the govern
ment. 1t costs an officer something
/ like $500 to get into the service and
there are very many of them who can
not afford that sum.
Well. to return to the naval officer
| who was in the gallery while the dis
cusslOn was going on. He was very
! much interested and when the bill
| finally passed he turned To friend
and remarked that. They no doubt
think they are doing a good deal for
the officers. but the saw q - uni
forms will be a mighty slnal matter
1t would be much better thing fol
the officers If they would increase
their pay"
And there was something I'm what
this officer said. for the pay of the
private soldier or sailor In this wa,
has been more than doubled, but nc
one has yet felt 1t necessary TO get
an increase OF pay for the officers
Middle-class Belgains Suffer.
Those of the middle classes are
most to ne pitied, for they have toe
much pride to 90 to the soup kitchens
and not enough money TO buy food.
is part of a statement made by the
official Belgian information service fl
Washington, referring to the awful
, conditions existing In Belgium. Il
has been stated over and over agaIr
since the agitation began as far bach
as 1910 in regard to the high cost OF
living that large middle class OF
salnried people were among the worst
sufferers on account OF high prices
That is true 10 a great extent now. fol
the people OF this class cannot stan,
in the bread line or patronize the sour
kitchens. They and the very pool
who cannot reach the places wber,
an, pfoxraapA Go s-tvorapta.,,t -