The Washington herald., 1918-02-16

ins now to bring shipping to the re-
lief of Mr.. Bakers statement that
We can have more than 100000 men
in France this year. are drastic. More
over, they are steps that were not
And they aIe steps which mean the
in other directions.
But, under the circumstances. they
are warranted. For almost anything
that will help I'm this connection
should be done at this time. We SIM
ply must be able to count in the
battles of this year. We must make
great strides in the name OF America
this year, or we will be under vast
haudicaps which we dare not think
OF at this time.
The problem which some lawmakers
looked upon with the greatest fear
midway during the extra session. but
which they did not think Of speaking
OF then, for fear they would incur
the displeasure of the administra-
ton, has turned out precisely as they
thought 1t would-but they would have
been willing to stand disappointment
in their predictions II Americas share.
in this respect. had been rendered
on a more able plane.
They are talking about conscripting
labor. The situation is fraught with
dlnger. But with President Wilson
and Samuel Gompers here to give
1t their closest scrutiny we may be
assured that the problem will be
solved with the country's welfare
a. heart The truth is, 1t is a shame
this situation had to be put up to
the White House. Deliberate butch
cry of some of the principles OF labor
fair play was INDUCED in a long
time ago by subordinates who should
have known better. Labor cannot
now be denied its hearing before the
highest authority in the land. nor
can it be denied that labor's rights
must be respected. II the Pres
ident had had time to follow
each step the present crisis would
never have arrived. His view
has always been correct and his
vision for the future OF labor much
more intimate and progressive than
the views and visions of some of his
subordinates.
The desire of subordinates In some
of the departments to- pass their mas
tiers in rulings, and to do all sorts
Cf vain things, sometimes exceeds
ell understanding. But strange as it
may seem the desire is not as strong
in these important times as 1t is in
peace times. There is q splendid de-
sire Of co. operation among almost
all of the departments. The men who
are trusted with doubly important
duties because of the vast task Uncle
Sam has on are mindful of their
work. And the subordinates to these
suborGinates are just as mindfIS, ap-
parent'y. The organization lacks
nothing that patriotism and industry
and ability can give to it.
And in this vast machine all the
States of the Union have a part.
There are men and women here from
them all, all of them giving their
time to the work and trying their
hest to do things that will count for
Uncle Sam. The nation has a right
to be proud Of these men and women,
Some day when the heads Of the de,
partments get time doubtless they
will pay the same tribute to them
that we are paying now. But IL they
are too busy now to do so, we will
forgive them.
In the West there is a Bolsheyil<
movement threatening and 1t is
sponsored by no /. W. WIS so the
report says. Behind it are the far
mer's organizations which have been
indicating for some time past their
displeasure at the way things are
being done. A clash between a
Western State Defense Council and
the Nonpartisan League has already
taken place. and to complicate mat
teFs members of labor organizations
are uniting with the farmers in the
affair. There are hopes that ami
cable adjustments will be reached,
but before they are great deal of
misapprehension and doubt Is likely
to be inculcated into the minds of
some of the leading farmers and
union laboring men. There IL q
chance that a cool handling Of the
problem out there can avert the diff
ficulty. but the farmers will have to
be given certain concessions II they
recede from their present stand.
One of these concessions will be the
release of farmer soldiers to attend
to crops. The spirit OF the draft was
to leave bona fide agriculturists on
the farms. but In many instances the
farmA wera strinna6 Of their men