Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-07-03

OSIudSleT deHeTdl tHuTloSOn Is COu-
tinually making more liberal rules for
the shipment of products of the farm
to the cities where they are consumed.
This of course applies largely to gar
den truck and produce of a perishable
nature which must be used by the con-
sumers without very much delay. Not
only is the parcels post utilized In this
connection, but the motortruck mail
service is likely to be extended so that
a great many more articles heretofore
handled almost exclusively through
commission houses can be sent direct
from the farms and truck gardens to
the doors Of the consumers In the
large cities.
In West Virginia three former
United States senators are candidates
for the seat now occupied by Senator
Nathan Golf. William e. Chiffon and
Clarence Watson, who served together
for number Of years, are contesting
for the Democratic nomination. Davis
Elkins is a candidate for the Repub-
lican nomination. Davis Elkins served
for few months, being appointed by
the governor to succeed his father, the
late Stephen B. Elkins. The West Vir-
ginia legislature elected Watson to sue
coed Davis Elkins. West Virginia is
considered a close state politically.
Whenever there Is a 5-to-4 decision
by the Supreme court 1t means
that the question Is settled for the
time being, but subject to reversal
when the court changes, or when, as
sometimes happens, a change in the
constitution follows. We may now
look forward to an effort to amend the
constitution so as to give greater con-
troll over interstate commerce by the
national government which will make
plain the power of the government to
prohibit the transportation of goods
made by child labor. The child labor
law being declared unconstitutional by
q 5-to-4 decision means that a new
campaign will be started so as to Sc
cure the results which have been SO
long sought for by the proponents Of
this legislation.
Probably few people recall the dra-
matte features attached to the enact
ment of the child labor law which has
just been declared unconstitutional.
Congress was about to adjourn in 1916
and the Democrats of the senate had
decided that they would not pass the
child labor law. In fact, quite COM
pact organization had been formed to
talk the bill to death. Then word
came from the White House that Pres
ident Wilson wanted that child labor
law enacted before congress adjourned,
and with considerable grumbling the
Democratic leaders took up the burden
and put it through.
More than five years ago Senator
Cum1nins of Iowa introduced and had
passed a resolution providing for the
investigation Of an ''insidious lobby"
which was then said to be operating
for the purpose of preventing the pass
age of the Underwood-Sim tariff
bill. That committee has never made
any report and we do not know
whether it found an "insidious lobby"
for that matter, we don't recollect
what it did discover.
Now comes Senator Borah, follow
ing the reference of President Wilson
in his last message to congress relative
to ''profiteers" and insists upon an In
vestigation to find out who the prof.
teers are, and incidentally as to why
they are allowed to operate. The prob
abilities are that no investigation Will
find very much more than has the lob
by investigating committee which is
still In existence. OF course men have
made money out Of the war; men al
ways make money out OF wars; the
great difficulty is in finding the GRIM
inal, either in lobbying or profiteering.
Neither may be commendable, and
they are oftentimes disreputable, but
investigations which cannot put the &C
tual stamp of criminality upon people
are not very effective.
Julius Kahn stands up" Is phrase
that has frequently been heard and 1t
means that this sterling representative
from California has from the time the
war began been one Of the stanchest
supporters of every measure and move
ment to make it success that has
come before congress or the country.
Kahn is the ranking Republican MEM
Der of the committee on military af-
fairs and at times he has been in
charge of bills to support the admins
tration's war policy because the Demo-
cratic members of that committee have
been opposed to such measures. In
the recent discussion of the big army
appropriation bill Congressman Kahn
set at rest many rumors that had been
afioat regarding alleged improper &C
tion nv the government In different mils