The Washington times., 1918-03-03
To-~~ooo What 1t
Connection One Days Events Fight for Oil for the
NaVy-What Means in War and Moving" the Neces
saries Of Ife-e Financial Know How" Debated in the
Senate te-e Charter Of the GermanAmercan National Alliance
As Contract"
By W. V. BYARS.


draft during the year 1918. Senators
Borah, Smith of Michigan, Sherman,
Vardaman, Smith of Georgia, Smith
| OF South Carolina. and others, debated
the question Of food from the stand
point of city and country. There
was no question of the need Of
doing something" at once. The
only answer given was in the Owen
resolution.
What is the final answer? 1t is
beginning TO become very plain.
The American people usually pro-
! duce more than the co-ordinated ef-
ficiency experts with the Know
! How, in control Of opportunity, have
ever yet learned how to market for
them. Last year when, as an eX-
pertinent on patriotism, the call was
made for patriotic production,
! breaking all records, it did break all
records. But these same Know
How experts" had undertaken to re-
duce the Government completely to
the control of their system" They
broke down. The people did not.
The Government did not. The Gov
eminent is beginning to show signs
of breaking away from them. But
not yet.
Not yet" was the answer in the
Senate debate on the "war finance
bill" Senator Hollis, "Administra-
tion Democrat" introduced an
amendment, so that persons" as
well as corporations and firms
might be relieved from financial
distress under the exceptional
case" section of the bill. The power
Of the efficiency experts, system
atically co-ordinated for the control
of the Government, was debated.
The attempt to dominate and die
tate to the Government was con-
demned by those who intend, as
Senator Hollis does, to vote for the
bill, and by those who have an
nounced that they will in no case
support it. Senator Nelson said he
was opposed to the bill throughout.
Senator Hardwick, in announcing
that he would vote against it, said
that if John Law were alive, the bill
would make him roll his eyes with
envy" 1t is taken for granted that
the bill will pass-probably on
Monday.
As far as patriotic Senators who !
protested defined themselves, they |
were expressing their confidence in |
the American people to win out" in
war or peace, in spite of anything |
anyone with the Know How, demand
ing "cost plus" percentages, at
tempts to put over on them" That
will be done.
The House debate on the legis- \
lative, executive, and judicial appro-
priation bill, carried it forward to-
ward passage. 1t was found usually J
as reasonable as any appropriation |
bill could be made in war time"
when, as the debate going on at the |
same time in the Senate showed, |
prices have been scientifically and |
Systematically damned up" on the |
people, on the Government, and on !
the allies by the most efficient ex-
pertS on earth.
This is all in the connection for 1
the story of one days main events at !
the Capitol.
The Senate added the names Of /
Cummins and Robinson to its COM |
mittee OF conference with the House |
on the railroad control bill. They
will agree finally, but the name Of
Cummins means science in making
the most Of the Senate bill.
Before the Senate Subcommittee
on Judiciary the German-American
National Alliance sprung a surprise.
II was in the shape of a protest from
two laN"ers. They made the point |
raised in every fight for a monopoly
charter for a generation-that when
a charter is once granted and prop
erty rights are involved, it is a vio-
latiOn of contract to repeal it. The
point has been repeatedly sustained
in the courts. The King subcom-
mittee" indicated its ability to over
rule it, if so disposed.
The Administration bill to save
the country's water power is in
charge of the Sims committee. Open
hearings on it will begin March IS.
the opposition to the railroad bill
to 4 mere grease spot"
The series of amendments to the
national defense act, introduced by
Mr.. Dent, make many routine
changes, but few of them are radi-
cal. The pay of aviatOrs, however,
is to be cut down, if Congress per-
mits Probably it will not. in spite
Of the official opinion that flying and
fighting at the same time is no longer
extra dangerous.