Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1918-01-31

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terms of peace, so far as they concern
Belgium itself, are absolute political,
economic and territorial Independence,
equitable reparation and guarantees
for the future.
The British labor party in conven-
tion at Nottingham declared Its posi-
tiOn In the matter of war and peace.
A resolution was adopted welcoming
and lndorsing the statements of Prem
ier Lloyd George and President Wilson
and calling on the central powers to
formulate their war aims at the ear
llest possible moment. Speakers gave
high praise to Mr.. Wilson's statement,
and 1t was made clear that the party
would not stand for peace negotiations
with Germany while she holds the ter
ritories she has seized.
-M-f
Fuel Administrator Garfelds indus
trial shutdown was far from being
wholly successful in relieving the coal
shortage and railway tie-up. For this
the plan was not entirely to blame,
for heavy SHOWS In the eastern part
of the country interviewed to prevent
the free movement Of coal trains.
Consequently Mr.. McAdoo was con-
strained TO declare ay embargo on
three Of the largest coal carrying roads
Of the East, forbidding the transporta-
tion Of any freight save fuel. munitions
and fOodstuffs. The situation, espe-
cially on the Atlantic seaboard, still is
most serious.
Partisan politics reared its ugly
head in congress last week and en-
tered into the discussion of the con-
duct Of the war. So far 1t has done
little harm, and perhaps 1t cannot be
kept down in an election year. Sena-
tors PenrOse and Stone were the chief
offenders, the former attacking the ad-
ministratlon and the latter having the
efirontery-cOnsidering his own record
to assail the patriotism Of Colonel
Roosevelt.
Interest in the doings of congress
centered on the Chamberlain bill for Il
war cabinet. the introduction of which
was perhaps hastened, though not
caused, by the investigation of Secre-
tary Bakers department. The presi
dent had forcefully, even angrily de,
clared his opposition to the measure
and his absolute confidence In Mr.
Bakers ability and efficiency, and the
defeat of the bill was predicted, al.
though 1t had the support of many sen.
atorS OF both parties.
Mr.. Wilson in public statement ac.
cused Senator Chamberlain of making
IAN astonishing and absolutely unjuS.
tiiiable distortion of the truth" In a
New York speech, in which the Ore.
gOn senator told of the failures OF the
war department. In replying to this
In the senate, Mr.. Chamberlain reiter.
aied his charges and undertook to
prove them by citations from the In.
veStigation by the senate committee.
The senator scored the war depart
mcnt numerically, and produced docu'
mentnry proof that Secretary Baker
when before the senate committee, was
ignorant of the actual conditions In the
matter of supplies to the army camps
"The president" he said, did not
know the truth. and I did. He must
have got his facts from his distinguish
ed secretary of war and he In turn gOt
them from somebody else, and II thos,
who furnished the evidence knew tn,
facts, they lied"
In the course Of his speech Mr.
Chamberlain read heartbrealIing let
ter from a fathef telling Of the dealt
OF his son in an army camp under mos
astounding conditions OF neglect. AZ
terward Secretary Baker said of thl
that II was not u singular case, tina
there had been several such due TO tn,
lack OF nurses, and that each one hat
been rigidly investigated
The hot discussion over the ineifi
. cheney of our war preparations cou
| tinues unabated and Is reaching tn
. stage where II becomes personal am
vicious. The thlcR-and-thin support
/ erS OF the administration declare IN
/ critics OF some Of its acts are border
. ing on treachery because they Civ
, comfort to the enemy while those VIII
3 criticize assert that only by letting III
= public know the faults that are hein
l committed can those faults he correct
r cd. Their course, they hold, is dl,
: tated by the purest patriotism.
HI