The Monticellonian., 1918-01-25

| tions of the war work of the govern ment. While sharp and pointed ques- 1 tfOns have been asked, and implied criticisms made by senators in queries or comments, these come from men of both parties. It is observed that in the military committee Democrats like | Chamberlain, Hitchcock and McKellar ask as pointed questions as Republic ans like New, Wadsworth and Freling huysen.
 Will government control of the rail- roads improve the mail service? There has been quite lot of complaint about 1 the service for several months past, and blame has been placed alternately | upon the mail service of the railroads and that of the department. Each has asserted that the other was largely responsible for shortcomings. Now | that the government operates the roads | there can be no divided responsibility. If the railroads have failed in the past the government can remedy the trou- l ble.
 A Leaders Duty.
 
 leader of the senate. but his main ac- tivity is in being chairman of the com mittee on appropriations. "There Is only one thing for leader to do these days" remarked Sesator Martin, "that is to keep the business of the senate moving as fast as possible and get the war legislation passed. And about ri q can do is to rush the money bills which the heads of the departments want for carrying on the war. Every thing else In congress Is secondary te the needs of the government while it 1 Is at war"
 By giving particular attention to grazing cattle, the forest service of the government Is doing it's bit to help, l The government wants meat and meat grows on cattle properly grazed. It would be a good thing if the whole 1 force of the forestry service could be utilized for increasing the herds of cat l tie on the national domain.
 Our Strong Financial Position.
 In view of all that has been said Tn
 
 l advertisements, blaZbned in posters and circulated in vafious kinds of lit erature, 1t may be taken for granted that the people of the country are pret- l ty well informed as to the necessity of saving money and buying Liberty bonds and savings stamps in order to help win the war. Washington officials believe the people are informed, but fear that they may not realize the i'm portance of the subject.
 However that may be, there can be no doubt about the financing of the war. The government is all-powerful when it comes to taking money. The government can even commander money, although 1t will probably take it in the form of taxes. But it can go farther and issue money to pay for its supplies if worst comes to worst. That is a form of raising money which will not be adopted save a means of last resort.
 Government officials are cengratulat- lating themselves upon the present sound basis of the financial system of the government. The president several months ago pointed out how admirably adapted to the present crisis was the federal reserve banking system. And now the financial officers of the gov ernment go further and point out how the financing of the war thus far has been facilitated by the federal reserve banks. The most important feature of the federal reserve banking system is that 1t seems to insure the country against money panies.
 Our Part in 1918. Senator Borah of Idaho has been rather pessimistic about the condition of the nation, not only before, but since the war began. In fact, he seems to have become the legitimate success sor of former Senator Eugene Hale of Maine in the capacity of q senatorial danger signal. We won't get into the war very much this year" remark ed the Idaho senator. "We are not prepared; we can't get our materials or our troops ready to take very much part in the real fighting. But we will have an opportunity. The war will not be over for a long time. There will be plenty of fighting for our troops even if they do not take much part in it this year."
 Long before the advent of Hoover and the food law the agricultural de- partment was at work on problems relating to the high cost of living and the increase of the food supply. All though there is a food dictator with very great powers, the agricultural de- partment has continued it's work. It is trying to increase production and is helping the food saving campaign in every possible way. Particular atten- tion is given to substitute foods so that the staples may be utilized for war purposes.
 Chairman Moon of the house post office committee pushed the post office appropriation bill through before the holiday recess. Chairman Bankhead of the senate post office committee in- tends to pass this bill through the sen ate and get it out of the way. It is gen. orally one of the last of the appropri- ation bills to pass; this year it is one of the first. "There will be no legis- lation on the bill," declared Bankhead. q have been fussing with John Moon for six years because he insisted upon loading down this appropriation bill