Norwich bulletin., 1918-11-28
FACTS AND COMMENT

Well would retire to private life, nut nobody expected that Secretary Me Adoo would be the first to withdraw from the presidents cabinet. His let ter of resignation states that he is in need of a rest and also Of the oppor- unity to reenter business in order to provide for his family. As cabinet officer Mir. McAdoo has had salary or $12.o00 year and he has received no extra compensation for his services as director general of railroads. The salary of a cabinet officer is without doubt inadequate to meet the very burdensome expense of living in Wash ingtoH in these times yet people are searching deeper for what it is felt must be the real cause for the sec retary's retirement just at this time.
 Secretary McAdoo belonged to distinguished southern family whose wealth was swept away by Sherman's army on the famous sMarch to the Sea" Thereafter as a boy he knew the extreme poverty that was the lot of all the well-to-do southeR3ers of that bitter period of reconstruction. Lack of funds compelled him to leave college without completing his course, but he worked days and studied law nights until at tWenty-ene years of age he was admitted to the bar in Tennessee. In 1892 he went co New York where by force Of character, charm of manner and business abil- ity he made his way from the first. It was he that organized and managed the company that first successfully tllnneled the Hudson. A democrat by birth and always interested in politics he first became a national figure as vice chairman of the democratic na- tional committee. from which position by reason of the ehairman's illness. he successfully managed the presidential campaign of 1912 Mir McAdoo was then invited to take the treasury port folio in the cabinet. and for nearly six years he has been a most efficient and dependable member O. the admin tstration. To him have fallen the huge financial problems Of the war and the management of quarter of n million miles of railway lines
 The Wilson administration is ap- parently definitely set on government ownership of public utilities. This is evidenced by & succession of acts. Two years ago in order to avert a railway strike on the eve Of our entrance into the world war, the Atkinson law was forced through a frightened congress giving railway employees higher wages than the railways were able to pay under the tariffs then allowed by the interstate commerce commission Hardly had the United States entered the war. when the administration se- 1 cured from eengress the right to seize /, and operate all means of tPaHshor- tatien and communication as 8 wal . treasure if in the opinion Of the pPes- ! ident, it was necessary. Soon the rail i ways of the country were taken over 1 under this act. followed theTeafter bS l the express companies, the telegraph
 and telenhone lines, and during the past week the ocean cables have beeT l seized by the government. Pcstmas i ter General Burlesen. under whose de partment the wires and cables are be. 1 ing operated. was an 9utspoken advo- cate of government ownership of thest utilities long before the war furnished the pretext for their seizure.
 The revolution is prceeedino fast il Gafmany and in the absence of an! 1 eng and reselute central authorit, the more radical clements are as al ! ways gradually getting control, and reign of terror seems less inlprobabi than was the case a. week ago. Lik the Kerenslly government in Russia
 the Socialist Ebert cabinet has no
 the confidence in it's own autherit,
 that will give it the courage to ac
 with the firmness necessary to pu
 down the lawless clements. These i longer unrestrained may easily talk
 matters into their own hands in tru
 Russian fashion
 Another element of uncertainty tha
 faces tine home population of German is the probable conduct of the return ing Soldiery. Already as discipline 1 ff.f.i win r,{ } rage are becoming the order of tn !; day in the parts of Germany whic 1, the soldiers are tFaversiag on thei ! homeward way. Cologne and othe
 Rhine cities have guards stationed i
 their vicinity to protect them froT their own demeralized forces to whor Ejllage and destruction have becom l second nature under the tutelage ( l their officers in the invaded countries l The larger centers are dreaoing . great influx of these armed bands an , are retaining locomotives and cars
 large numbers in order if possible . distribute the soldiers to their ow r homes as promptly as possible an
 prevent any long stay in the sreE t cities. The menace is real and tx I prospect is one to make the nlidd class and the weIl-to-do shudder wit ? apprehension as to what the next fe'
 weeks may have in store. Every tra6
 and group has it's own council an everybody is bliRdly groping for son n way out, too anxious for the very es s istenee of the social order to proper |. sense the great national disaster ar : disgrace that has befallen them : really care what may the terms of Il - final settlement which the allies ma . demand.
 The formal surrender of Germany
 magnificent battle fleet last ThuFsds 5 was the most astounding fact of u n whole great war if not indeed of ( Il history Four hundred ships Of Gre
 Britain and her allies were waiting
 the appointed place off the coast
 Scotland in two long lines six mil
 apart between. which steamed u t German fleet, nine battleships, five ba a tie cruisers, seven light cruisers ai
 fifty destreyers, led by the Bfiti |. Light cruiser Cardiff They all pr T ceeded according to orders at ten mil V per hour, every German gun train IS straight fore and aft. The British al
 allied ships all flew battle ensigns al 'f had their crews at stations with e T cry gun manned. They were takil .- no chances and were prepared to bic
 the German fleet out of water at t Ia first sign of treachery. But of resis - Rnee there was none and the whs y fetilla passed into the Firth of For 10 where the German flag was haul
 down never to fly again over ths l. beasted navy. Truly an ignennino is end to the kaiseF's dream of weFi d power.