Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-25
NATIONAL CAPITAL
Has All the Appear
ance of a Boom Town

Washington. March 24.-War-tLne
| activities have intensified the attrac-
| tions Of the nations capital 10:
| the visitor. To those who came here
| before the United States entered tae
war the city's chief charm lay in the
proud swell of the Capitol dome, the
stately outline Of the Washington
Monument. the deliberations Of the
Eations lawmakers or the magnin'
cent vistas Of shaded avenues.
Now, all that has been enhanced by
miniors Of uniformed men. the sight
of hundreds Of foreign officers. and
the swift evolution Of airplanes over
head--but most potent to even tho
casual observer is the realization that
the vast machinery of mighty gov
eminent is at work on wal. EN-
erywhere, there are evidences OF put
ting the nation on a war basis.
| In hotel Hobbies. theatre foyers ard
clubs, the army khaki and navy blue
have superseded conventional owe
ming clothes. The walking stick has
given way to the swagger stick or the
sword.
The great influx Of new government
workers made semi-somnolent city
take on the aspect of boom town.
Hotel facilities OF the city were not
| only sereiclS taxed-they were
swamped. The excess population
| then overeamet a system of boarding
houses which,. for years had given
1 empAfa ccoinod ton to many thoua-
| ands az fransients. Finally the hous-
| ing protism became 80 acute that
4 hundreds Of government workers
/ were cbn,pclicd, because OF lnabliity
to get rooms, TO relinquish posH'ons
| they had come 10 the capital to take.
! First stir Of activity penetrated the
government departments; then it Was
4 transformed into d tide of concentrat-
|, ed effor. thats.ave the sedate agencies
fthernppearanee of munitiun factories.
Armies of clerks who for years mao
finished the working day at a5o
O'Clock in the afternoon, remained TO
foil much later. Some work in nigh
shifts. Department buildings blazeu
with LIGHT, and cabined members
Joined their subordinates in the gen
eral rush of overtime work.
Almost ITolIi titt p1S AhS|iiS "a
! wa. Secretary Baker remained AZ MS
desk night after night with rarely an
exception. and his example has been
omu,ated by heads Of many depc'-
! ment bureaus.
i In the Navy Department, twenty
four-houIea day watch in the Buf"a
Of Communications keeps Secre'''s
Daniels constantly in touch WIN 'he
feet. To the wireless towers Stai-S'
ing blcakly silhouetteG against sfS
+, skysat Arlington across the Potomac
co,oes MESA ges from the rranspot'
fleet crossing the Atlantic and tne
destroyers that race through 'he WV
ers Of lhc war zone in searth or the
! submarine.
from tie Communications oi9cS
there have come since last Apri
MANY messages of joy and sorrow &c
war-anxi0us people. Naval ofiicet>
who make flying trips TO Washington
while waiting for transports TO ''NF
on coal and troops tell human lliiei
| cst warns Of the war work ci 'H'
navy. Censorship regulations oe'F,
all from revealing knowledge VI
strat eeic movements or devices 'u
intimate tales OF the .wardroom 90 raj
toward giving perspective Vi XIV.
daily achievements OF the men wiz
wear the blue.
Fr.m The sentries who nightly race
their POSTS about the White House :,
the foreign officers and enlisted M
sa.n an the ST reefs and in the theatres
tho war atmosphere is unmistakaoiH
The british. French and i1aiia :.
s.,ld,e,,an re found lighting it over
wherever they meet. Brltaih n"'
,an(v. I.earcyd or OrtheriS mas oe
r, me a "ral" with Pierre or 'ioE"'l
-; At times a decorOus government
c;a,, hears the refrain OF dosseie
verse that runs.
awe teat YOU at the Marine.
we whipped you at the Aishe.
a,y-o oave YOU ell ct Neuve-C hapeil'
AND ore we come AGAIN.
At the capitol. the work OF ehac'i''S
) LEGISLATION Is provide the cNecu,i\'
trenches of the government "hH -
,r,orainary war powers has moNc'
forward swiftly Party lines ia'sel'
hive been obliteratcd IN 'he sei'i :. :.
, eor, "a make America efficient II
, the great conflict.
=, II Washington reflects acco'a.e''
he war spirit Of the nation Afn'.' :, :,
!, has braced herself for the great 'ae'
j., witch NO phase Of the immerSit1
10 ,1,o GREAT duty of the nation IN IN
,,,,rol<ro>. has been disregarded.
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