The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-09-06
Washington Letter.

the production of aircraft has been
brought to head by Senator Harry
S. New of Indiana. Mr.. New has in
troduced bill providing for the crea-
tion of Department of Aeronautics.
The head of the Department is to be
known as the Secretary of Aeronau-
ties, and is to be a member of the
Cabinet. Complete control Of all mat
ters pertaining to the design, pur-
chase, manufacture, and production Of
aircraft for the Army, Navy, and
Marine Corps, is to be placed in the
hands of the new official by Mr.. News
bill. The unexpended balances of all
previous appropriations made for the
air service are to be available for the
purposes of the new Department. The
Military Committee has been given
jurisdiction over the measure, and as
Senator New is a member of that
committee early action on it may be
looked for.
The meeting of Republican State
Chairmen in Chicago is another indi-
cation of the get-together spirit that
has animated the ranks of the party
throughout the country. The meeting
is bound to give added force 70 the
campaign to win in the fall elections.
"a full exchange of ideas and coun-
SELL" was declared to be the purpose
Of the gathering, and the State chair
men, upon whom will fall a great
part of the burden and responsibility
of the campaign, are sure to derive
much benefit from association with
their brothers from other States.
The present policy of the Admins
tration in starving the so-called non
essential businesses by allowing them
a little of this and a little of that
should, in the opinion of Represen-
tative Homer P. Snyder of New York,
give way to something more definite.
at would be BETTER" he says, "to
adopt some rule whereby certain in
dustries less essential should be alb
solutely prohibited from operating
during a certain period" Of course
the ship yards, munition plants, and
other industries essential to our war
work must be supplied with labor, and
these appears to be no source from
which to recruit it except the non-es-
sentials. That being the case Mr..
Snyder maintains that it would be
fairer for the administration to be
frank with the people and with labor
SO that the public may know definitely
what industries may continue ard
what will have to give way to the
greater need. The Congressman's
views are shared by many of his COL
leagues, who hope that some clear-cut
stand in the matter may be taken by
the President in the near future.
Congressman John M. Rose of Penn
sylvania is convinced that the Bureau
of War Risk Insurance is not respon-
sible for disclosing information upon
which certain Washington attorneys
have sought contracts for the collec-
tion of back pay of deceased soldiers.
One firm of lawyers in particular is
known to have written letters to sur
viving relatives asking them to sign
a power of attorney authorizing the
collection of back pay and the allow
ance of very substantial fee for Sc
doing. 1t is evident that the authors
of the letters must have had informa-
tion giving them the addresses of par.
ties interested, but Mr.. Rose thinks
that the casualty lists as published
each day contain the necessary data
and that the Bureau of War Risk In.
surance should not be charged with
the leak.
The Lewisburg (Pa.) Saturday
News very pertinently remarks that
the announcement that "polittics i.
adjourned" has not been accompanied
by the appointment of a Republican
to a place in the cabinet, nor the ap
pointment of Republicans to fill any OF
the Offices of customs collector, etc
No, and the administration has moi
made full use of the abilities of sucf
men as Roosevelt and Wood. Nor ha.
it acknowledged it's obligations to the
late Augustus P. Gardner, one of tn,
pioneers of preparedness. Perhap:
politics is only half adjourned.
Postmaster General Burleson Is
quoted as saying that it would be 9
good thing for the country if half ot
the newspapers went out of business
The views of the p. M. G. in 1918 are
somewhat different from those enter
tanned by the first head of the Posta
Service, one Benjamin Franklin.
The work of selecting senatorial
and congressional candidates at the
White House seems to be in disor
ganized and unsystematized condition
but that may be due to the fact tha
The President has had to consult man,
political advisors with varying views
interests, and prejudices. Perhaps af
ter a while the work will be so wei
organized that the President can Civ
cut to the newspaper men at state
times the lists of men who shall o
who shall not be elected. That wi
\