Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-03-19
PLAN FOR LASTING
PEACE IS FIRST
coNGREssMEN CONSIDER 1T IS
MOST IMPORTANT OF THE
PRESIDENTS PROPOSALS.
ST3oNe GUARANTY DEMANDED
Idea VIII Be to Make an Ending of
Anything Like Future World Wars
why Little Interest Seems Taken in
important Legislation.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN


Weshington.-While it is long look
aheau TO the time when the peace ne
gouators viii gather around a table.
yet peace proposals are still made and
peace conditions discussed. The IA
propositions which President Wilson
lalo down in his address of January s
are the basis of discussion among men
III congress, and the one that many con-
'loer most important of all is that
"hlch refers to disarmament and guar
ahteed peace of the world.
There will be no stronger article in
Ine terms OF peace" said Congressman
Ihomas s. Butler of Pennsylvania, a
man OF Quaker descent, but who votes
lor the vigorous prosecution of the
war, than that which provides for per-
ihanent peace. 1t may be that a strong
navy VIII still have to be maintained
oy those who guarantee peace, in or
DER to police the world, but if the senti-
lhent OF the people of this country is to
De felt it will certainly insist upon
making the world peace guaranty as
strong as possible. | believe the other
peoples of the world are so weary of
war that they will also want to write
permanent peace in the strongest pos
Sible terms"
Debates Cause Little Interest
Inc lack OF interest displayed in the
proceedings of both house and senate
may De attributed to the fact that the
most important legislation is now pre-
pared by the executive departments
and whipped into shape" or modified
TO some extent, by committees. For
the most part senator's on the Demo
cratic side have determined to support
the bills which the administration asks
Tor carrying on the war. A large num-
Der OF Republicans have made up their
minds TO do the same. There may be
a small minority of Democrats who
would like to assert their opinion, and
DO assert it from time to time, but
only two or three vote against legisla-
uOn which the administration wants.
Ihere are on the Republican side a
number of senators who think that the
legislation asked for is too drastic and
some of 1T unnecessary, and they are
inclined to express their opinions and
discuss the bills, but few votes are cast
against administration bills. The Dem
ocratic side having charge of the bills
must enter into a defense of them.
Ihat Is what prolongs the debate in
the senate but 1t is a debate which
is not listened to by very many sena-
tors.
Even discussion of the important
railroad bill failed to keep a quorum
In the senate and the most interesting
speeches on that subject were not lis
tened to by more than a dozen sena-
tors.
Army Officers Expenses Heavy.
A naval officer sat in the gallery the
other day when the senate was dis
cussing a bill which provided that Off
GERS of the army and navy could OBJ
tain their uniforms at cost from the
government This bill was put
through by the energy of Senator
Jones of Washington, who upon COM
paint Investigated and found that
most of the officers in the army were
almost debarred from service on ac-
count of the high cost of their uni
forms and equipment. 1t is not gen
orally understood by the people
throughout the country that an officer
must purchase all of his supplies, not
only his uniform, but his fighting
equipment and his tent equipment.
everything in fact which is furnished
to the enlisted man free by the govern
ment. It costs an officer something
like $500 to get into the service and
there are very many of them who can
not afford that sum.
Well, to return to the naval officer
who was in the gallery while the dis
cussion was going on. He was very
much interested and when the bill
finally passed he turned to a friend
and remarked that, "They no doubt
think they are doing a good deal for
the officers, but the saving on uni
forms will be a mighty small matter.
1t would be much better thing for
the officers if they would increase
their pay"
And there was something in what
this officer said, for the pay of the
private soldier or sailor in this war
has been more than doubled, but no
one has yet felt it necessary to get
an increase of pay for the officers.
Middle-CIass 5eIgains Suffer.
''Those of the middle classes are
most to be pitier, for they have too
much pride TO go to the soup kitchens
and not enough money to buy food"
is part of a statement made by the
official Belgian information service in
Washington, referring to the awful
conditions existing In Belgium. 1t
has been stated over and over again
since the agitation began as far back
as 1910 in regard to the high cost of
living that q large middle class of
salaried people were among the worst
sufferers on account of high prices.
That is true to a great extent now, for
the people of this class cannot stand
in the bread line or patronize the soup
kitchens. They and the very poor
who cannot reach the places where
employment is guaranteed at good