Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-22
CONGRESSMAN MOORES
LETTER
Charter Reuisers Seeking Intorma-
tion in Washington-Women
Can't Get Passports to
Europe
Washington. March %.

Washington, March %.
DowELL EVANS, of the committee on
L publicity Of the Philadelphia charter
committee is searching Washington for
methods to present the case Of the com.
mittee to the people of Philadelphia. He
is some booster" as the boosters would
say. So is Brother Winston, chairman Of
the general committee. He is fairly well
known here through his publications.
Richard L. Austin, the treasurer, has to do
with the capital through the Federal Re-
serve Board, and Thomas Raeburn White,
chairman Of the subcommittee on charter,
and Ernest l.. Tustin, director of the speak.
ers' bureau, occasionally visit Washington
to represent Philadelphia interests. Arthur
H. Lea, chairman of the committee on
finance has gone into the record several
times in protest against certain govern
mental ownership propositions, but in favor
of the daylight-saving law, in which he
had an abiding faith.
TT is not very complimentary to our dis
tinguished Postmaster General, but
many of the discharged soldiers in the
United States hesitate about forwarding
their discharge papers to Washington to
obtain the $50 bonus authorized by the
revenue law. Some Of the boys. after their
experience abroad, fear to trust to the
mails the original certificate which estab-
fishes their army record and from which
some of them would not part for hun
dred times $50. One suggestion that might
tend to relieve the situation is the setting
up Of distributing offices in the various
states. Congress would probably have to
deal with that question.
THE wives of soldiers in Europe are
l. naturally anxious about their husbands,
and the demands for passports have been
enormous. Both the War and State De-
partments, however have set their faces
against women going to Europe at the
present time. Ordinary applications from
persons who merely desire to tour Europe
or to see the sights are turned down at
once. In some instances it has seemed de-
sirable that women be permitted to visit
their husbands who were wounded or to
visit the graves of those who are dead, but
the War Department has been obliged to
decline permission even in such cases. 1t
now develops that the government is not
only following its own inclinations in this
matter but that it has received expires.
sons from both the French and British
Governments of their desire that the pres.
ent policy be pursued.
OUR old friend, Charles H. Sayre, tells
" us that the Young Republicans of Phil.
adelphia have moved into new quarters
and that the club will be put on a more
active basis than heretofore. One Of the
schemes now under consideration is to
have public men discuss public questions
at the club. In view Of the misleading in.
formation which propagandists are largely
responsible for, the Sayre plan may prove
a good thing. Hampton L. Carson, who
was one of the earlier presidents Of the
club and who believes in the Constitution,
would be a good speaker to start with. Or
Governor Stuart also a former president,
could give line on the operations Of the
Federal Reserve system, or Abraham M.
Beitler could say something about govern
ment ownership that would be worth hear.
ing. The old Young" Republicans are not
dependent upon Washington for talent.
0NE of the few things the Wilson ad-
~ ministration did during the war was
to create a War Risk Insurance Bureau.
There was a good deal Of opposition to 1t
for while on the part of those who be.
lieved in the old pension system as it is
still conducted under the auspices of the
Department Of the Interior Both the De-
nartment Of Commerce and the Department
of the Interior would like to have had
charge Of the new system, but Mr. McAdoo
had more influence than the other Secre
taries and held it for the Treasury Depart.
ment 1t can readily be understood that
the Democrats coming from states which
maintain homes for Confederate veterans
were not any too anxious to continue the
Pension Bureau, which provided only for
veterans Of the Union army. Moreover,
the new system, which grew out Of a
bureau to provide marine insurance and
ultimately to protect sailors and others on
munition.carrying ships against losses,
presented compensation and life insurance
features that were much more attractive
than pensions. AS it has operated up to
date the War Risk Bureau has provoked
unusual criticism from all parts of the
country, but the administration Is about
to move all the subdivisions of the bureau
into one building on the old Hotel Airing.
ton site, and is claiming that fewer com.
plants will now be in order
WHILE times have changed since the
w Continental Congress struggled to keep
an army in the field under General Wash.
ington and are vastly different as to the