Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-01-29
SIX OFFICERS MAY
KEEP HIGH GRADES
DEMAND is THAT PERSHING,
MARCH, BLISS, BENSON, MAYO
AND SIMS RETAIN RANK.
PLAN WILL BE CONTESTED
NO Objection in House to Any of Sem
ate's Tax Amendments to the Great
Revenue Bill - Guards Removed
From Public BUILDINGS.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington.-After the Civil war, a
contest of four years In which there
was an opportunity to develop splen-
dld officers, three men finally received
the rank of lieutenant general and
general. They were Grant, Sherman
and Sheridan. But 1t was long after
the Civil war before Sherman and
Sheridan were advanced. Two men,
Farragut and Porter, became admirals.
For the most part, officers of high
rank In beth the army and the navy
were denoted. They held commits
sions as volunteer officers, many be-
Ing major generals and many briga-
dier generals. But when the army
was reduced, many of these major
generals found themselves either ma
jors or lieutenant colonies. Only a
few became colonies.
After the Spanish war there were
a great many promotions. Men went
up to high rank in both the army and
the navy.
And now, since the big war has
closed, there Is a demand for keeping
the temporary high grades. 1t is sug-
gested that March. now the chief of
staff; Pershing, In command of the
American army, and Bliss, who has
been in France in military capacity,
shall be retained for life as generals,
and that the men who have been made
lieutenant generals shall also retain
their rank. The demand is also made
that Benson, Mayo and Sims retain
their ranks as admirals in the navy,
instead Of going back to their posi-
tons In the regular navy as rear adj
miralS.
There is bound to be a bitter con-
test over this in congress, but 1t would
not be surprising to see these high
grades recognized in the army and
navy appropriation bills.
It was interesting to note that when
the great revenue bill went back to
the house of representatives with its
more than 900 senate amendments,
there was no contest made over any
tax increases or tax reductions or tax
additions No contest was raised over
the question of making a different rate
of taxation for 1920 from that for 1919.
The contested items consisted of legis-
lation. Four were brought forward,
one relating to making the District Of
Columbia bone-dry; another to pre-
vent child labor by the use of the
i-l 20 oil
tributors to political campaigns to pay
100 per cent on contributions over
$500, to the United States govern
ment; and the fourth, the repeal Of
the zone postage law and establish
ment of different rate of postage on
second-class matter. These items
caused considerable discussion. Mem
bers of the house showed more inter-
est In them than they did in the tax
ing features of the bill. One reason
was that every man in the house could
understand the four propositions that
caused the controversy and they did
not understand very much about the
tax portions of the bill.
The guards that clustered SO thick
" around the entrances to the govern
ment departments during the war have
disappeared. There was a time, and
It lasted until few weeks ago, when
a stranger had to undergo a sort of in
QUESTION before being permitted to go
into a government office and transact
his business. Passes were issued to
employees and people whose business
often required them to visit the de-
partments, but others had to say whom
they wanted to see and what they
wanted to see him about before they
were passed through the Gordon of
guards. With the end of the war,
however, rehabilitation began, and
now there are only the regular num-
Der of watchmen on duty. Several Of
the departments have reopened their
doors to sightseers.
Some Republicans who are looking
forward TO success in 1920 are
anxious on account of the pro-
spective splits among the Republicans
in both the senate and house. II
the house of representatives the divi-
sion will not amount to much. With
46 majority there will not be enough
insurgents to prevent the Republicans
from settling their differences in eau
Gus. But in the senate, with only two
majority, one or two senator's are able
to upset any caucus action and they
promise to do so unless they can have
their way 1t Is pointed out that these
Republicans cannot understand that