The Dermott news., 1919-08-14
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

By EDWARD 8. CLARK.
 Washington, Washington. the capi- tai of the United States, has been the scene of race riots. While this city has been looked to in Il sense as the pulpit of peace for all people. it's own citizens have been at one anathers x throats. It k possible that Mexico will look at the spectacle with some thing like tronic amusement.
 Scores of reasons have been ad- vaneed for the outbreak. None of them seems exactly to fiji the case. but perhaps the sanest one is that the nerves of all the people are on edge. and that il las taken only little noise to send them beyond control. The riots began on Sunday night. when the only weapons used were fists. Comparatively little harm was done. Some soldiers took part iH the initial disturbances. but discipline soon took them out of the field. The train had been fired, however. and even in the face of military and police authority men and women hattled in the houses of this town which usually k place of steady habits.
 There are men in Washington who are in q position te trace the effects to their causes who say that the re sentiment of the people against what they have called too drastic punish ments for military and civil oflenses during the war has had it's natural result.
 The men who hold to this view say that soldiers and civilians have been led to believe that. because of the tenn per of the people toward what they cali excessive puniShment~. some of the soldiers of the service and some civilians thought that hereafter only light puniShments would be meted out for heavy ofrenses. and that this feel ing has made men willing to engage i in riots of the kind which have oc- cured in the capital of The country.
 Probably Due to Nerves"
 There may be something in this. but contnet with the soldiers in the Amer lean eXpeditionurY forces and with 1 those already returned to this country. and also with the war workers iu this city. leads one to think that the real cause of the trouble k representative nerves made so ny war conditions which have produced an unnatural atmosphere and in which the soldiers and civilians have been forced to live.
 on the first night of the trouble some men in uniform took part in the disturbance, but military discipline soon prevailed and the men who were violating the law became later fore most in attempts to uphold it. Under the guidance and control of their of ncers they did fine work. The main 1 difficulty of rhe whole situation aroSe from the fact that in the absence of martial law under which citizens could be kept in their homes crowds of eu- rioSty seekers numbering thousands sought the scenes of trouble and he came the means of further disturb anees. Many entirely innocent per sons, both white and eoiored. were ln- jured during the continuance of the riottnc. If these people had stayed ut home the riots would have been re- dueed to minimum and probably nothing would have happened after the first uights occurrence.
 No Chance for Adjournment.
 
 sion ef congress until hate in the sum mer If 1920 Both Republicans and Democrats in house and senate declare freely enough that there seems to he no chance to get away.
 Of course the present session must end au the first Monday in next De ccmhpr. but aS another session then win begin. the two In sense will merge into one This thing has hap pened before.
 What K the reason for the predic. ton in legislative circles of one long. driving >cSSionf There Is not one rea son. but multiplicity of them which have come together to make the pros pect for continuous session bright, or black. aS one chooses to view it
 The senate committee on foreign re- lntions still has in its keeping the covenant of the Leagne of Nations. The committee Intends to study every feature of the document down to the mlnutest item before rendering Is re- port to the senate.
 Debate May Last All Summer.
 No one knows how long it will take to debate the covenant to finish on the floor of the senate Some of the leaders have said that snow will fly before the end looms In sight. Others express ,he hope that the people will make their feelings in the matter felt sa strongly one way ar the other that an earlier result may he reached. II can he said however, that the maj ior- lty of the senators. whether they are for the league or against if. seem to he convinced that they have long debating struggle ahead of them, and this feeling seems to he shared by the