Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1919-04-18
CONTINUED from Last Week.
CHAPTER Ill

CHAPTER Ill
HORWIN was astonished to discover
~ that most of his friends were
either opposed to war with Germany
or were lukewarm toward II. So he
gathered that it was not a popular
war. His own feelings had not
changed-exccpt that his convictions
had deepened When the poison of
distrust of the President and his Off.
cial family had got into his veins it
had changed him overnight.
II was easy to pick flaws in every
public utterance of the President:
the mistakes Of the men appointed to
responsible positions were so glazing
win q grim contempt for the entire
war structure. Men we're being called
10 Washington in huge numbers to
cake charge of various departments
newly created. IL seemed to Corwin
fhat these men were chosen, not be.
cause of their especial fitness, but be.
cause they were influential in politics.
ICorwin foresaw many opportunities
for graft, and he had no doubt that
the entire REORGANIZATION would be
honeycombed with it. So. as the days
fled and he continued to nurse his dis
trust, he observed with sardonic sat.
1sfaction that inefficiency was to reign
in Falltown. For one morning Gary
Miller told him that the Central Lib
erty Loan Committee of the district
had appointed Bernard Dillon chair
- H.. To
Corwin flushed angrily. He and Dill
Ion were not friendly. He knew Of no
good reason why Dillon should not
have the appointment, and he could
not have denied that Dillon was hon
est. But he disliked the man, and was
convinced that there we're more capa-
Ole men in Falltown.
He saw Miller looking keenly at
-understandingly
WELL" laughed Miller; 81 suppose
they could have done better. Not that
/ don't like Dillon. It's nothing per
sonal, you understand; but he's fel.
low that man can't warm to-" Mil
ler's voice grew grave. "The loan is
to be two billion. They can't raise 1t!
Why, it's more money than the Gov.
eminent ever spent in two years. 1t
didn't cost much more than that to
finance the Civil War And they talk
Of spending that amount within few
nonths!"
Miller was not the only resident OF
Talltown to express his convictions.
During the days that followed the talk
with the banker, Corwin hearkened
much to the voice>of discomfort.
The Pathfinder was omnipresent;
his voice was raised in the Office, the
factory; in the groups that formed on
the street corners; there was an un.
dercurrent of dissatisfaction which
created savage Joy in Corwin's heart
For he considered the dissatisfaction
TO be directed at the party in power
1t was an expression Of distrust, a pro-
test against the huge blunder of wag.
ing war upon a foreign power which
was thousands of miles distant 1t
wasn't necessary TO go to war; II
wasn't necessary to spend that vast
amount of money; il was a heinous
crime to send millions of men to meet
death upon a foreign field merely to
uphold an ideal
One night, standing at the fringe of
n crowd that was listening attentively
10 a MISUNDERSTANDING man who
stood on a wooden box. Corwin heard
the principles of the Socialist Party
exDounded. Until now. Corwin Aad
considered the Socialists rattle
Drained radicals intent upon the dis
memberment of the Government. But
by the time the man had finished Cor
win felt there was some virtue In the
Socialist platform, after all.
He was astonished that he should
admit II. but the man had created an
impression upon him. The appeal OF
the orator had been made to the pas.
sions, to the elemental in man which
h Irritated by all authority. Wars
were criminal the orator said. the