El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-26

ahled men also was amply provided
for IN advance
But the government said 10 the
many young men who claimed exemp-
ton or who otherwise would have had
10 claim exemption from military SER
vice that for every SIS the soldier or
sailor was compelled TO give or vol
unfairly gave to his family an extra
allowance Of SIS a month would be
contributed by Uncle sam Many
men made their arrangements al home
on that basis.
5ut on May 10 last. according to an
announcement made in the house Of
representatives two days ago By rep
resentative Goode. Republican chair
man of the appropriation committee,
there were no funds in the treasury
10 pay the families. Also there had
been no funds to nav the salaries and
administrative expenses Of the war
risk bureau from March p last 10
June 3 next
The president had borrowed about
100000 from the national defence
funds given him by congress and car
forward to May Is. but not until con-
gress got busy and appropriated to
cover the allowances 10 soldiers and
sailors families until July / was the
really embarrassing situation removed.
DIDN'T Repay the President.
Congress did not pay the president
back that four million dollars al
though no doubt, Mr. Wilson had TO
suspend some activity Of the govern
ment in order 10 scrape together that
sum.
Why were there no funds on Nay
1 to send money 10 the families, who
were expecting them and who no
doubt had made purchases for food
and other necessities depending upon
~ .
ments pay check, was because the I
deficiency bill. which would have ap-
propriated Ss5.000.oe0 for the purpose [
was killed in the senate by filibuster
which had as its avoWed purpose an Z
effort TO force an extra session Of I
congress at an early date and because Z
an extra session was not called Dy j
the president until May 70. The Re-
publicans wanted an extra session be- (
cause they sought to discuss the +
peace treaty and signify their wish T
for amendments Iney believed that 4
unless they held some threat over the .
head OF the president he would not I
call an extra session until he returned 4
from Paris, which might be June or Z
J July. 80 enough senators talked on {
eNtraneous subjects until the hands i
Of the clock pointed to noon OF March
{. when congress legally expired
To the criticism that the Repubii-
antilles Of money they had been
counting on for the month Of July the /
Republicans answered that Mr.. Wilson
lad the remedy in his hands. He
,ould call an extra session and the
Republican congress would promptly
enact the needed legislation appro- /
)riatiug funds. Col Lindsey recently /
eft the war risk bureau OF which he
lad been the head Secretary Glass
md Col Lindsey had some sharp
words, exchanged some acrimonious
etters and a new director Of the war
-isk bureau was named.
The big question. is did the director
II war risk bureau know on March
II how much money vas left where
With TO pay the families OF soldiers
md sailors and did he bring it 70 the
.ttenriou Of secretary Of the treasury I
That concerns the executive branch
y the government. but, on -.he other
iand. was congress right II shelving
piece OF legislation which admit
edlT sought 70 pay tie deficit which /
F-as expected to occur some time be-
-weeu March 4 and June 3O2 The
Republicans won their fight for an
extra session
lIr. Wilson was forced TO capitulate- {
he called an extra session as soon as
he learned the true state Of affairs.
Republicans viii claim he had known
he facts sooner but the Democrats
viii always claim that two wrongs
20 not make a right and that who
sver in the Republican party killed /
he deficiency bills is now responsible Z
for the individual embarrassment %
approximately 100000 people who I
haven't their pay checks. people who
also haven't their sons or brothers I
II home to help them pay the butcher I
md the baker and the grocer and the E
landlord
Both parties use the filibuster.
7loture rules have been obtained to
prevent such tactics but never seem
10 be enforced II it is to the advan-
age OF either party the filibuster is
lsed.
And the people back home pay the
lrlce.-Copyrigh 1918, BY New YORK
evening Post Inc.