The Washington times., 1918-03-05

Inc senate ueNOIeu q COnSlueIdDlG
part of its proceedings yesterday to
tn, cultivation of (a) irony and (b)
sarcasm, both of which are quite i'm
portant, with a quite important diff
ference.
The irony was provoked by the
Postmaster General. In response to
the King resolution, asking if he had
taken over the telephone system of
the District of Columbia, and if so,
by what authority, the Postmaster
General submitted an exhaustive
argument, calculated to convince any
impartial person that if he had not
already taken it over, he ought to do
so at once. He added, moreover, a
satisfying review of legislation
asked for to authorize it, including
the Gore, Pomerene and Lewis bills,
after which he demonstrated the ad-
vSntages of annexing the system to
the PoStoffice Department. His ex-
perts had reported that it would be
easy to operate the system at one
third less per telephone than is now
charged; with $4,000 telephone sta
tions, including needed extensions in
that total, he could cover the whole
network for about $10,000,000. And
finally whereas the privately rem
dered service had been the worst at
the highest cost in the. country, he
could operate it without increasing
charges or reducing wages and pay
for the whole of it out of the surplus
of the Postoffice Department. BY
way of authority, in addition to that
he expected Congress to provide, he
mentioned that "the function of COM
munication so clearly appertains to
government that it is provided for
in the Constitution"
This argument being before the
Senate, it proceeded to indulge in
miscellaneous irony, induced by Sem
ator Kings insistence that all he
had asked the Postmaster General to
say was where he got his authority
for what either he had done or of
fered to do, or was in process of
doing. Messrs. Hardwick, Poindex-
ter, Read and other Senator's partici-
pated until finally the subject was
postponed on agreement that know
in" the Postmaster Generals habits
in the matter of answering questions.
the Senate was at least guilty of
"contributory negligence"
The McAdoo war finance bill was
to have followed 1t is said, how
ever. that Senator Hollis and others
feel the need Of doing further con-
centrated thinking on different fea-
lures of the bill, possibly including
the four billion dollar bond feature
The agricultural appropriation bill
was accordingly substituted. Sen
ator Gore, being in charge of il, GER
tain Senators proceeded to indulge
in sarcasm, which was painful to his
sense OF the solemnity of everything
even remotely agricultural. Under
sections showing Senate increases
over House appropriations for the
purpose of Kidding agriculture of mi
crobes, ticks, and insects" the Sen
ate entomologiSts demonstrated
ignorance of the difference between
bugs and insects by offers to submit
to any increase demanded for insects
on the theory that bugs were in
cluded in their determination to win
the war" at any cost
Senator Gallinger wished il under
stood that he would not take I'D the
time of the Senate on any item of i
mere million and A half There was
4 time when the Senate might have
devoted hours to struggle for
economy over 100000, where now,
with the billions as the unit OF the
count, it was hardly worth while to
stop under half billion. Where
or other insect enemies"
were to be COmbated, he would not
TO intervene against any
except as his negative
vote might be accepted as a warning
Of his opinion of the rate at which
appropriations were being spceded
Up.
Senator Thomas, agreeing that the
increased appropriation must br ne
ressary if COUtiChs and other in
seCts" were coming over the top.
insisted that II should be extended
TO "bpdtiCks" and their occupants.
until all insects including flcaS
which infest our farmers and may
infest our soldiers. are exterminated.
The bill went over for further con
after Senator Gore had
protested earnestly against this spirit
Of levity. and had offered TO accept
an increase Of four millions or any
other increase the Senate might
grant for fighting "cowticks' and saw
ing the meat supply.
The seriousness OF the work OF
Senator Cores Agricultural Com
mittcc had appeared at its morn