Norwich bulletin., 1918-12-17
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS
Special to The Dullctin.)


 the wheels Of war. The so-called "un- schambling" process has resulted in no end Of confusion. To close the doors of industrial plants without warning and turn everybody out all of sud- [ den' as the secretary Of war very | humanly expressed f.. is a national disaster; to continue work which is | now unnecessary at the expense of billions of dollars is a disaster of 1 scarcely less mangnitude. How to | reconcile the wide extremes is a mat ter on whislt the war aud navy de- | partments, and congress are working l night and day. The question of how large a standing army shall be main- l tained for after the war condition will unquestionably be raised in many ir- stances, and will largely govern the policy of the government us to the re- turn to private management of. many of the great industrial plants now be- ing operated under government con- trol. There is as yet. no official inti nation as to the size of [. standing army, and estimates rua all the way from 100000 to 1,00e, 0o0 with 500000 as a conservative average. There is also some talk that the war depart ment will ask college and vocational schools to open their doors fer reserve officers training, something along the 1 line of the Plattspprg camps. but that cannot be done until after the size of fthe. army is determined upon. No steps will be taken until after the peace treaty is actually signed, and ! even then it would take a special act | of congress to inauguratc the plan. 1 The military. naval and marine corp units of all S. A. T. corps at colleges | and vocational schools wtu be, demo bilized not later than December 21st. 1 The men of these units may wear their l uniforms 90 days after discharge, and 1 then must return them t0 rhe war de- 1 DO rtment under the same regulations l which govern other members of the T. l s. military forces, but < bill is before l congress asking that they may per | manently keep one full uniform and wear it on occasions of ceremony. 1 The sudden cancellation of contracts ] has thrown many of the largest muni | tion and textile plants out of commis sion for the time being. Up to De- cember 2nd from the sirninS of the i arnlisticc on November 11th the or dnanee department had oancelled or ders on Connecticut alone amounting l to $55,000,G0 while the total ran up to the enormous sur-l of S2 613 900 900 Is according to statements made by Sec retary Baker before tho house appro-
 priation committee a fey days ago I Along the line of war risk insurance great hardship has resulted in many 1 cases ly the government demanding ; reimbursement of ollotments which it now claims have been .oyerpaid, or er- , ronc-olsiy claimed. Congressman , | Trea dway of MassachHSet-s has a bii before the house asking that such re-
 imhlrsement shall not be demanded | l1rr4
 the money had been paid 10 mothers
 of soldiers wno have already spent i 9 in their own support and the refund
 is next to Impossible The highes allotment was only s10 a month wllicf n1aV be small for t,oa government tt . vsune but its refund becomes some }, thing of magnitUde 10 poef woman 2 vhc is earning but a pittauce a da, . by her own hard work
 - The speeches made in congress b, Col. John .. Tilson on arms, muni ; tions airplares and gas masks hay been compiled and issued as a pubh h. document. The first speech !ncorpor
 ated in the collection was delivered i
 January, 1911, and was ;L strong pie . for more artillery, more small arms an v other essentials. Col. Tilsen's fore t cast in 1911 Of the results of unpre IT parednegs for war after llosGlities be e gin. without running the risk of nc of having your preparations complet n until the war is over" The rush z4 cancen government contracts both s war essentials and housing project
 brings the prediction of the Connect
 cut congressman into s1la foregroun = As the munition expert member of tt IS military committee. Col. Tilson as speeches carry weight and alread " there is a large demand from | ,e bfaries and training camps for copit ,e of the document containing them. of The Washington Post said toria ts iy this week: Between the ll.slnes st Nathan Hale and William Bayard Ha Ss there is room for aiword of admiratit T' and contempt"
 is Congressman Merritt has introdue, 's a bill making an appropriation for u he improvement Of the Mianus river b e. tween the N. Y. N. H. t& H. railroi ay bridge and Mianus.
 he John p. Rtackhatl, secretary to Co he 1 eressman Eonergan, has been appoin
 ed assistant enrolling clerk of t house of repcestatives. He will, ho1 iie ever also remain with Mir. Lonergl III for the present.
 ne At hearings before the river and Fa at DOT committee of the house last we It's Congressman Treadw1y of Mass ,et ehusetts urged favorable report re the proposed improvements on [ -n Connecticut river between TIartfo
 and HelyolSe. He said the Connec
 cut river was regarded as a typit
 illustration of both, water power g
 navigation developments. He urged t ng carving out of the project as favor ,t by the report of the boarl of army c gineers submitted to the e4th co
 gress which called for an initial a we propriation Of $1.500, 900.
 oL Senator 5randegee took active D;
 in the discussion regarding the ca 'p- cellation of housing contracts and ( nat posed the arbitrary action of tre; for ing all alike without investigatien
 specific conditions. MT. Rrandeg o,s stated to the senate that he belie1 ,s4 it would be wiser in some instan 4o to complete contracts even though tI '0 had not reached the 75 per cent. f
 iehed stage. Said he. T want to ss one ft,n government all the money possi ing hut I feel that we have acted lan quickly and on too arbitrary a stai
 ard by which to judge the merits ,i+b the different projects"
 ner George L. Fox of New Haven, h. et. Of the University school, created a
 sensation at 8 hearing before the f Al. eign affairs committee a few days a Ine hearing WAS in progress on the ri var to grant Ireland self determination in its political affairs, when MT Fox br of into the room shouting. T bitterly
 pose this miserable insult to Or vo- hi1laIh ta,,l ana %ie on!ted States- Hey ntas r,ei,ina stuar,n riitseu Je nlteen t III ny ments on Ireland'sspart in the war all was continually called to order by ride chairman. The committee on fore
 afairs is accustomed to nrefunct