Arizona republican., 1918-03-07
Among the Hogs


 In the long list of extravagances of the hogs of the Hog Island shipbuildng plant we find the item of S2 900 a month for publicity We are thereby re- minded of incident in of the later sessions or territorial legislatures Two three newspapers trying to put small and gentle graft over ac- cording to long established custom or as the old used to say, consuetudine. The whole pro- posed appropriation amounted only to $1,OOO, hardly worth stealing and certainly not worth the time and skill expended in the effort The measure was fin ally acted upon in the committee printing of the council of which the late Captain Jonn T. Hogue of Apache the chairman
 The promoters of the bill present at the committee meeting, explaining it's merits A certain part of the proposed appropriation to cover the cost of printing daily reports of the sessions of each house another part was to pay subscriptions for enough copies of papers ncriminated for each of the members of the legislature. These two items aps peared worthy and legitimate but there still remained $500 of the proposed appropriation unaccounted for What is this $500 for?" asked Captain Hogue. who had jotted down the first items in the skeleton of a committee report.
 That" said one of the promoters" is for writeups of the members"
 What kind of write-ups?" asked Captain Hogue
 "oh," replied the promoter, Ito say nice things about the members, boosts, oh. you know, hot air"
 Down went f1Ot AIT Into Odpldll IlO5ue , lteHl- ized list without any one noticing that it had been catalogued. Captain Hogue in his innocence noth- ing ridiculous or improper in the item. The next morning the committee report favorably recommend ing the measure was read in the open session the council.
 When the item Hot Air" was sonorously pre- nounced by the clerk there was explosion and the promoters sitting the floor of the council chamber flew to the doors and escaped in the midst of the laughter. That was the end of the bill. Even it's record was left incomplete the last entry being Ire port of committee printing read"
 The publicity for which s2,OOO month is being paid at Hog Island is nothing than 'hot air" of the same brand and variety that with which have been surfeited many of the activities the promotion the greatness, the usefulness and the patriotism of those in this that department bureau.
 The country has needed no paid publicity to learn that this country the allies and the whole world need ships and need them quickly. President Wilson has told that frequently and earnestly. Lloyd George has told that need ships than anything else in the world. and that unless we get them lost Even the Germans have jeeringly told that need ships and have assured us that will need them still With all this authentic information at hand, why should the hogs of Hog Island be allowed to trampe under foot $2OOO month in the name of publicity?
 The worst thing about it is not the waste of the money being wrung from the people, s2,OOO month and all the other paid for princely salaries at Hog Island make up a very small total in comparison with the billions which the people have already paid and the billions they will yet have to pay. The dam aging thing is the effect upon the people of the knowledge that any of the money is being reck- essy squandered anywhere in the war service. With that knowledge war taxes will be paid less cheer fully and shell will be placed about the average cit- to increase his resistance against the solicitors for the sale of thrift stamps and bonds.