The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-12-20
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.


Washington.-The contest is already
on between those who will be classed
as militarists on one hand and paclfists
on the other. Now that the war Is
ended IL is quite likely that great
many people who were for peace, but
supported the war because the country
engaged in ii, will array themselves In
favor OF disarmament and for reducing
military expenditures TO the limit. No
doubt they will be called 'pacifists,"
but that epithet will not carry with II
the stigma that was attached while
the country was at war. II every man
who wants TO reduce the size of the
army and cut down military eXpendi-
lures is called pacitist, they will have
a pretty good-sized party by that name
In few months. 't'.
The militarists will point out how
Smuch quicker and easier 1t would have
been to win the war If the United
States had been fully prepared and
equipped In the beginning. No doubt
a great deal will be said about lack
Of ordnance, munitions, arms and 9TH
er war materials generally, as well as
the lack of trained men, and these will
be laid down as arguments for larg-
er military establishment In the future.
The other side. however, will insist
that the United States went In and
won the war in Is months and that
Ii was with comparatively little diff
Guilty that an army was raised,
equipped, trained, and put into the
field. And so the fight will be con-
Quoted, but the prospects are that
congress will not favor very large
military establishment.
People outside of Washington do not
care very much what happens in regard
TO the organization of committees in
congress, and so TO them the Norris
resolution Is not important. This res
olutiOn Is intended to defeat the pow
eT which now exists in a coterie of old
senator's because they are at the top
Of and control most of the important
committees of the senate. 1t Is rather
surprising that new senator's, and
those who have long served on COM
mittees Of little or no Importance, have
allowed the good places to be monopo-
lized by the older, senators, but that Is
one of the traditions of the senate.
The Norris resolution. In proposing to
distribute these good committee places
In a more equitable manner. may be
the germ of revolution. However, II
does not make very much difference
about committee assignments, for q
man who can handle himself well In
debate can take care of all the legis-
iatiOn he wants on the floor Of the SEN
ate and is heholden to no committee
assignment for his position In that
body.
Just before the senate adjourned
Senator Ashurst Of Arizona tried with
might and main to bring up bill,
which he said he had been pushing for
three years. AS the time for adjourn
ment drew near Ashurst asked Senator
Mcclellan of Tennessee, who controlled
the floor ut the time, to withdraw his
bill-an important one and likely to
cause considerable discussion-so that
the Ashurst bill could be taken up.
II understand 1t is utterly impossible
to pass my BILL" said Ashurst, "be-
cause 1t saves the federal government
several hundred thousand dollars. i
know, of course, If it had appropriated
a million 1t would have passed long
ago." The Arizona senator didn't real
~ believe things were that bad, but II
is fact that hundred bills are pass
ed by congress spending money while
one is being passed to save 1t.
The senate will lose newspaper
man when Senator William Alden
Smith of Michigan retlres on March A,
but the loss will be offset by Senator
Arthur Capper Of Kansas, who will
take his scat on the same day. The
other newspaper men In the senate are
Hitchcock OF Nebraska, Harding Of
Ohio, and New of Indiana. New Is not
now connected with q newspaper.
One awful legacy which the Germans
have left to the Belglans, one thing
which the Belgians have In greater
quantity than they had before the Hun
overran their country, Is tuberculosis.
The Red Cross Is beginning campaign
TO stamp out the white plague. which
has increased largely in those portions
Of Belgium that were occupied by the
Germans until recently. 1t is said that
the disease has gained victims especial
~ among young women who were
obliged to work In munition and In
dustrial plants. Truly German kultur
is a wonderful thing.
Daniel @. Roper, commissioner Of
internal revenue, has another big job
on his hands. II is the task of collect
ing sib billion dollars under the pend
ing revenue bill. OF course Commits
sioner Roper does not yet know what