The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-13
By w. V. BYARS.

BY W.
An "autocrat" is a person who j.
free to, use the widest possible
authority at his own pleasure. We
are now attempting to convert
Europe from the belief that it is q
good thing to entrust any one with
such powers. We are going to shoot
the belief in autocracy out Of
Europe, regardless Of cost.
But it is a costly business. The
Senate Finance Committee devoted
further attention yesterday to the
problem of meeting the cost, with
the McAdoo Half Billion Dollar Bust
ness Relief Control bill as the topic
Mr.. S. +. Bcrtron, a banker with
New York and Philadelphia connec.
tons, gave the committee the belre.
fit of his views as a financial expert
He was an admirable witness.
One of his axioms was. 1.-THE
wider the authority, the less it will
be used" He was arguing in sup
port of the extension of the widest
possible authority for the control of
American business to the Secretary
of the Treasury. He did not touch
on the habits Of autocrats in Euro-e.
AS one feature Of the proposed bill
is the control and possible elimina-
ton of "non-essential industries
during the war, considerable interest
attaches to discovering in advance
what they are. According to Mr.
Bertron's advices from the West
people out there are still doing
things that are not essential for war
It seems that they are building
houses, and spending money or
them-"not in large amounts, but ir
the aggregate they count VI
enormously"
"A whole lot Of people don't real
ize what they are doing" the witness
said. 1t would stem they don't
Think Of II. Spending for a home OF
school or even a church money
enough to blow up perhaps thou
sand people who do not know how
to get along at all without an auto
crat.
The main purpose OF the McAdoo
control bill, however, Is not so much
to prevent the non-essential indus
tries from existing, as TO convert
them, if possible, TO war purposes.
and in any event TO provide a ready
means Of relief for industries, espec-
tally banks. which are essential to
the welfare OF the country, in war or
peace. The Senate Finance Com
mittee seems inclined to approve
purposes of the bill for steadying
bank credits and for meeting respon-
sibilities the Government incurs
when for war purposes it forces
money out OF the regular channels
of business. until 1t is difficult to
do business on a rational basis.
About other features Of the bill, ii
seems to be in doubt. Senator Gal
Iinger feared that the exceptional
case" clause OF the bill would invite
a raid from every broken down pub
lie service corporation and business
hack in the country. Senator Lodge
thought It impossible to avoid con-
sidering the elements OF human ma
ture through which II is so much
more agreeable 10 think Of lending
other peoples money from the Treas
ury than of ending your own.
Senator Gore. In all his experience,
could not recall the case Of a man
who owed the Government without
wanting either to get the debt ex-
tended or Cancelled. II public men
are found obstinately opposed to
such tendencies, they are driven out
of public life. 1t was very easy to
start things, the Senator said. But
stopping them afterward was another
matter. He remembered what hap
pened TO the Roman republic, first
supplying grain at less than mar
ket price, and finally supplying It
free.
Lincoln day speeches were deliv-
cred in the Senate by Senator Knute
Nelson and J. Hamilton Lewis. The
Lincoln orators Of the House were
Messrs. Graham of Illinois, Barclay
of Kentucky, London of New York,
and Russell of Missouri. It is doubt
fu, if Senator Lewis ever penetrated
to greater heights in the empyrean.
Fool pacifists were scared and Shiv-
elied by the lightning Of his elo-
quence.
1t would appear, however, from his
proofs, that Buddhists. as observed
in Chicago, have some habits, which
ar not accurately Oriental. The
Chicago Buddhist, "salaaming to the