The Washington times., 1918-02-09

peace, anu hSalnsL peacelul industry
even II It is not actively discouraged
or Disseminated against by Govern
ment.
These and similar questions lay
below the surface when Secretary
McAdoo made his able explanation
of the bill before the Senate Finance
Committee yesterday. He covered
the sections Of the bill relating to
the promotion Of all industries es-
sential for war. As there remained
to be explained further The sections
for the discouragement or suppress
sion Of new industries deemed Hnon-
essential" because not DEVOTED to
war, Senator Lodge expressed the
hope that the Secretary would favor
the committee by returning to ex-
plain in this respect. he promised
to do so on Monday. He was follow
ed in the afternoon by Treasury ex-
perts, giving explanations of the bill
on any point considered doubtful.
As Secretary McAdoo explained
the proposed licensing system for
"non-essential" industries, he COM
pared its compulsory features, ap-
piled to industry, to those Of the "se-
iective draft" applied to individuals.
1t would prevent further diversion Of
labor and capital to these industries,
considered "non-essential," supposed
ly because their energies are SO en-
tirely constructive that they cannot
be applied even by indirection to de-
structiveness.
The only new bill Of the day, in
volving extraordinary departures
from precedents Of American insti-
tutions and constitutional law, was
introduced yesterday in the Senate
by Mr.. Jones of Washington 1t
authorizes the Secretary of .Agri-
culture, in cooperation with the
Secretary Of War, to establish camps
in each State where they shall "as-
semble" men to be instructed in
farm labor. They are to cause an
enrolment or registration Of the
unemployed for the purpose Of this
Assembly" and $250,000 are to be
appropriated for its expenses. 1t
does not appear from the text Of
the bill itself how far it is pro-
posed to make the enrolment and
Assembly" compulsory. Its rela-
tions to the Thirteenth Amend
ment and the principles of BLACK
Republican AbolitiOnism" were not
explained. Mr.. Jones said it was
rather crude, and that he introduced
it by request, as it had been pre-
pared after consultation, as he nn-
derstood with the Secretary. Of
Agriculture. Such "black Republi-
cans" as William Lloyd Garrison
and Wendell Phillips often disre-
garded the claims of "agriculture"
in favor of manhood rights.
Speaking against the position of
Senator Chamberlain, Senator
Thomas vindicated the War De-
partment in various ways, and es-
pecially against relying on poor,
bleeding France" for guns and mu-
nitions. He brought out the record
facts that France, supported by
England, had applied for these ord
nance contracts, after developing
capacity for manufacturing beyond
its own needs. He showed, also,
that by manufacturing in France,
when shipping is so short, much val
liable cargo space is saved. There
was a debate, interesting to those
who heard it. AS back of it all was
the question of whether we ought
to pull down Bunker Hill monument
and start a new sort Of civilization
with nothing voluntary in it, the
failure to bring this issue to the
front rendered the debate somewhat
less educational than it might have
been. Senator Chamberlain spoke
ably, with no reference to Bunker
Hill as a misfortune.
The Senate passed the bill "for the
retirement of public school teachers
in the District Of Columbia" advo-
Gated by Senator Hollis. 1t applies
the principles Of compulsory insur-
ance to providing annuities with
contribution of about 40 cents from
the public funds to every so cents
held back from salarieH. Tho annu-