River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-02-20
Our Weekly Letter
From Washington
(By James A. Frear, NJ. Co.

Dig appropriation OlllS WHlCu have
passed the House.
The great $4,000, 100000 revenue
bill which has just been agreed to
and will become law on the Pres1-
dents return this month is certain
to bring to the attention of the peo-
pie some understanding of great ap-
preparation bills which have been
growing in size every session. The
Record of Thursday, Feb. -, con-
tains the writer's remarks on the
Naval bill which in times of peace
carries appropriations and author
izations of 81, 16O, 100000, or more
than the total annual expenses of
government five years ago. With a
navy equal to the combined navies
of any three countries in the world,
apart from Great Britain, the bill
carried further proposal to build
20 more great war vessels at cost
of $415, 900, 900 in addition to other
ships authorized but not vet built.
Naval experts and military experts
do not propose to lose their grip on
the Federal Treasury brought about
through the war and SO after strug-
CLING with the great naval bill the
House is now wrestling with an
equally large army bill that carries
81, ILL, $780, in times of peace
when all the nations Of the world
are war weary and financially broke.
During war, all requests of the Ad-
ministration were granted 'un-
grudgingly" by Congress, but now
that the war is over and we are call
ed upon to pay the piper twenty bill
lion dollars and more, it is time to
take an accounting of stock.
Yesterday l walked down the
street with Ex-senator Nose"
Clapp, who lived in Hudson where
he also practiced law before remov-
ing to Minnesota from which state
be was sent as Senator. He now
runs a large farm near Washington,
and once Or twice week brushes
the straw off his coat and comes to
town to work with his law firm here,
as a side issue. When talking
about wild appropriations that are
being pressed upon Congress,
Clapp grabbed the writer's hand
and expressed his qualification over
votes cast az ainst some of these ex-
travagant bills and he further said
what is sure to follow that when the
people learn the facts there will be
few tears shed among many states
that pay the bills over the change
in the political control of Congress,
which occurs next session.
On January 18th the writer gave
some facts to the House regarding
our boys in the army. The speech
was sent out through the District
quite generally. Among the letters
l read on the Floor was one from a
splendid officer who fought bravely
with Wisconsin troops at Chateau
Thierry and who is now in this
country, where he has been serving
on courts martial at one Of the
camps. He gave instances of gross
injustice to enlisted men and in an
effort to help secure an investiga-
ton through publicity the facts
were given as stated, although it
seemed unbelievable that kid sol
der who went home to see his dy-
ing mother would be sent to Leav-
enworth for Is years for leaving
camp when permission was refused.
Senator Chamberlain committee
has begun an investigation which
shows that this case is only one of
hundreds of equal or greater sever
ity. The facts speak for themselves
and responsible officers should
themselves be court martialed for
their inhumanity.
During deb ate on the army bill
last week many bitter assaults were
made by members on the efforts of
officers of the army to keep our SOL
diers in service. Letters were read
and speeches of protest made by a
score OF Congressman who voiced
! the general Indignation felt over
the failure 10 promptly demobilize
troops. Until the terms of peace
are signed, Congress is impotent to
do much, in fact its powers are very
limited, but strong arguments are