River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-12-18
Washington Letter
By James A. Frear, NJ. c..

| The coal strike and Mexican rum
pus have settled down in time for the
Holidays according to indications, and
the country has something to be
thankful for. One way to be happy IS
to think how worse off we might
| be.
Uncle Joe Fordney Of Michigan is
Chairman of the powerful Ways and
Means Committee. Constant propa-
ganda by large financial interests is
received during this Congress to make
further loans to foreign governments.
Another strong propaganda kept tenn
Iporarily in the background, urges ev-
entual cancellation Of foreign loans.
In other words to wipe off the slate.
Fordney told the House the other day
that no further loans or gifts to for
eign governments would be granted
without the sanction of the Ways ard
Means Committee and that the Com
mittee would not consent to further
drains upon the country's resources to
meet European needs. Fordney will
be backed up by the committee of
against any attempt to secure the car
cellation of the foreign loans reaching
Approximately nine billion dollars. In
terest on these loans. has been fund
ed" or passed by European countries
that are in hard financial straits but
while sacrifices by our allies during
the war are recognized and their pres
ent needs are appreciated, Congress
is in no mood to advance more money
or make gifts of loans already made.
Taxation and the high cost of living
have gone the limit, yet letters are
received by every Member urging
more large gifts or appropriations for
different purposes, which, however
worthy, would mean additional tax
burdens. The Ways and Means Com
mittee is trying to hold down these
drains upon the Treasury.
Captain Eddie" Rickenbacker, Maj
OF Jimmie" Meissner and Captain
Kinley, all American aces with total
of Is victories to their credit, of which
Rickenbacker, Americas leading ace,
has rs, were all witnesses before the
aviation committee one day last week
We have had several Generals and a
about 125 witnesses thus far examin-
ed in over $500 pages of printed tes-
timony, but the most interesting Of
all were those three young men whose
combined age only reached 50 years
or on an average Of % years when
they were making a great name for
themselves and for American valor.
All were flying foreign machines dur
ing the war which were bought from
France or England and according 10
evidence they were handicapped by
poorer obsolete machines than the en-
envy used, but aviation developed
some remarkable fighters and three of
the greatest to get out alive were
these young men, whose names are
familiar to every aviator. Ali their
victories were won in practically six
months during 1918 and while Ger
man, French and English airmen had
higher total records, the Europeans
were in the game nearly four years.
Three more modest BOYS would be
hard to find All gave full credit to
the bravery and skill of the men they
fought, and Rickenbacker, formerly
noted automobile racer, explained the
secret of his wonderful record by say
ing he never moderated his opponent
Several prominent Wisconsinites
were at the House Office Building last
week. Col. McGovern, weighing PROB
ably 100 pounds, tenned and rugged
when seen in his uniform, would hard
ly be recognized as Frank McGovern.
Wisconsin's recent forceful but slend-
er Governor. He told me he had been
engaged during the war trying cases
for the Judge Advocates office in diff
ferent parts of the country. He re-
signs the end of this year to take up
his law practice in Milwaukee. Form
Ter Speaker Ekern from Trempealeau
county, now in Madison, has law offic-
es in Chicago and law associates III
New York. Ekern was Secretary of
the state insurance investigation years
ago when the writer was Chairman.
Now he is engaged in securing UNI
form legislation in all the states for
mutual fire associations and is making
a splendid success of his chosen work.
He wanted to be remembered to old
friends. Gen. Holway, Wisconsin's
Adjutant General for many years, was
also here, seeking to have the new mil |
itary bill properly care for the Nation