The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-04-17

Washington, d. C.-There is some.
thing ,absurdly like the performances
Of the Peabody coal committee of the
late council Of national defense in the
antics of the Peek price-fixing board,
which has been created by Secretary
of Commerce Redfield, and which has
been knocked fiat by Secretary of the
Treasury Glass, by Director General
Hines Of the railroad administration
and by Secretary Of the Navy Daniels.
The Peabody coal committee was
formed by the council of defense, and
especially congratulated by Secretary
of the Interior Lane, two years ago,
when it organized the coal magnates
and fixed a scale of prices at which
the patriotic coal companies would do
business with the government and the
common people. F. S. Peabody of
Chicago, a millionaire operator, was
it's chairman and chief promoter. He
was given vast amounts of press
space. The United States Chamber
of Commerce made him a hero.
Then one calm evening in early
summer there came from the secre-
tary Of the navy and the secretary of
wal a concerted bo~mbardment of that
coal committee which left nothing of
it but a sulphurous ordor. The new
schedule Of prices was shown by Sec
rotary Baker and Secretary Daniels
to have been framed to give huge prof
it's to the companies upon even the
biggest wholesale deliveries, while
upon small lots the percentage of
"velvet" was simply scandalous. This
incident closed Peabody's Services"
and President Wilson called upon Doc
tor Harry Garfield to organize the
fuel administration.
HANDSOME STEEL PRICES.
Redfeld, instead of Lane, is the of.
fetal sponsor of this Peek enterprise.
Steel prices were fixed at a handsome
figure, as viewed by the steel manu-
fa%cturers, but at a figure which the
railroad administration and the navy
and the treasury knew to be ruinous
for government operations. AS the
railroad administration is to take
about one-third Of the total steel out
put Of the country, the steel companies
have been crying bucketsful of tears
at Mr.. Hines refusal to play their
game. Redfield's sidewhiskers are
fiery with anger. Hines and Glass
and Daniels refuse to buy steel unless
the Peek prices are lowered.
TO RETAIN CoNScRIPTS.
At the very top Of the military or
ganization of the United States is
General March, chief of staff. March
is a full general, with four stars.
Just about the time the European
war began he wal a lieutenant colonel.
His rise has been rapid enough to
make the Leonard Wood promotion
look like the %proverbial 30 cents. And
March lives up to his rank by being
100 per cent military. The firm hand
of military power is stamped all over
him.
March announced the other day
that A per cent Of the American ar
my that existed on November II last
has. been demobilized. He further an
nounced that in the past month the
| recruits secured for the regular army,
for service abroad and on the Mexican
border, numbered a few over 1000.
He hopes to get $4,000 in two months
to relieve drafted men now in Ger
many.
"Are you going to get enough men
for the army of half a million mem"
he was asked.
"We've got them," March replied,
with a significant smile. Apparently
he meant to convey the idea that sew
eral hundred thousand Of the drafted
soldiers will be held in service until
volunteers are secured to take their
places, or until congress meets his
wishes with regard to universal mill.
tary service.
PREFERS HUNTING RADICALS
Senator Nelson Of Minnesota, whose
faulty memory was n of the divert.
ing features Of recent public hearings
before the Overman subcommittee OF
the senate judiciary committee, has
| decided that he will be chairman OF
the judiciary committee for the com
ing two years. Accordingly, he has
surrendered his priority claim to the
craftsmanship Of the committee or
commerce, which will deal with the
question of future government owner
ship and operation Of the merchant
marine. Senator Jones Of Washing
ton is to be chairman Of the committee
on commerce.
The judiciary job is more taxing
upon the strength Of a senator thar
is the commerce Craftsmanship, but
Nelson brushes aside the suggestion
that he is an old and feeble man. HI
considers himself fully able to express
opinions, and he prefers to express
them on bills dealing with social un
rest in this country than upon bill
dealing with merchant ships. Nelso,
has declared a sort Of personal wa
upon all radicals-especially univer
sity professors who write books Q