Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1919-01-09
SECRETARY DANIELS BIG NAVY.

We are inclined to sympathize with those congressman and sen
atcrs who are assaiing Secretary Daniels project OF the biggest navy
in the world.
The distinguished secretary, it has occurred to us, might have
ithheid his public utterances with regard to the necessity of pro-
yidiug such vast naval equipment until the peace conference had got
Ten to work, at all events
America. we have been told repeatedly by the occupant OF the
White House, has been fighting to reduce the liability of war to the
minimum.
If we must compete witt Great Britain in the construction of a
navy, we may as well make up our minds that in the course of time
we shall have occasion to Try conclusions with our island neighbor
If we are going to encourage the sort Of miftarsm which we
have been fighting to get away trom-wel, we shall be justified IN
tcaortng to it only when it shall become plain that the peace confer
.cnce does not intend to seek a reduction of international ornaments
Ii we can effect arrangements whereby it will be unnecessary to
arm ourselves to the teeth for eventuaities, there will be plenty Of
time in which to proceed with our biggest navy i'll the world. The
matter Of u few days, or weeks, will not be al all material. 1t is
scarcely probable that we shall need such a navy before another har-
Some of thc republican newspapers are discussing MI. Wilson for
a third term.
Suppose, for instance, that the republicans think about Senator
Lodge as a presidential possibility. Would. he fill the bill under the
inhibitions OF the republican committee on publicity?
II the republicans are encountering some difficulty in selecting a
candidate for the presidency, what Of the democrats? Have the lat
ter a really available man at the present stage OF the preliminary
campaign?
We would like TO hear from the Aberdeen News with reference
10 General Pershing eligibility as a candidate for the republican
party for the presidency. Is General Pershing a sufficiently pro
rounced republican,
General Pershing is said to be a democrat in politics. Wonder
whether the republican publicity committee had him in mind when
1T issued It's pronouncendnt against professional military men as
candidates for the presidency.
1t is 10 be hoped that the congress won't take 50 much time III
trying to find what's been wrong with us or any Of our governmental
departments as to prevent needed legislation. That mistakes have
been made is admitted, and, excepting as they may have been Grim
inaly intended, the best thing we can do is to make the best of it and
let it go at that.
Senator IaFonettc is quoted by Washington dispatches as saying
that il The Russians wish a boIshevik government that is their bust
ness. They don't dictate to u.s., he says by implication, what sort of a
government we shall have in America. Well, maybe that is so-but
we cant help thinking that the sort Of government which any Euro
pean state establishes and maintains concerns us, nevertheless. The
question arises with regard to how far we can properly go to make
Seh government conform to our notions.
Governor Burnquist would have a law outlaWing the occupation
OF The professional agitator'': Then there wouldneed to be another
law to determine what constitutes ]. professional agitation Is an
offceholder, for instance, who devotes practically the whole of his
time to politics, a professional agtator2 Or, perhaps. the governor
Iright tell rs how he would apply such a law. Would he apply
Iit to the fellow who is trying to get the ins out, or to the chap who
Iseeks To get the outs ine Take thelate Mr.. Roosevelt, for instance
For twenty years he was ssagHatng' something or other, mostly along
political lines, Mould Governor Burnquist forbid such agitation
Mould he apply the law only olabor agiatorS, or would he include
soeiaiste agtators, democratic agitators, republican agitators, etc
SLAYER TAKES OWN LIFE
4 SHOES AT LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA
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