The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-01-15

many a dangerous temptation comes
TO us in fine gay colors that are but
skin deep" and while the democratic
have been eating their red berries at
Jackson day dinners, the republicans
have been shaking out their green
holly leaves in order that the country
might not for a moment be unmindful
OF the fact that their political bush
is enjoying fine health right now while
republican Mr.. Fixits are likewise
busy with the affairs that come TO
their attention in the winter before
the summer when they nominate men
10 be voted for in the fall.
That person would deserve to be
called dull who could not see in the
fact that the two branches of con
gress are republican, and entirely able
10 tie the democratic administration
up in bow-knots. cause for joy in the
fortunes OF the present, and hope and
faith in the future. for these republi-
can leaders are not wasting much
time coming TO Washington to eat
DINNERS, but from every report it
seems certain that their counselors
are keeping in close touch with every
situation. while the work in the hust-
ings is being done with fails, aug
mented by all the modern contriv-
ances that brains and invention have
achieved.
This comment upon political affairs
is greatly abbreviated. because OF
many necessary omissions to make il
conform to the agreement between
editors and the correspondent that the
latter remain "nonpartisan and un-
biased" At the same time the writer
in relating these few facts presents
them as observations that may be
called "seasonable stuff" especially
for this season that comes as often
as leap year in the winter before the
summer When they nominate men to
be voted for in the fall.
Fear that German propaganda in
Ehile and German submarines, togeth-
er with the possibility of serious dam
age to the Panama Canal, were re-
sponsible for the construction of the
government nitrate plant at Muscle
Shoals, and the beginning of construc-
ton Of plants at Toledo and Lincin-
matt, according to Secretary Bakers
testimony before the house committee
on war expenditures.
Secretary Baker revealed he fact
that half of the nitrate capacity of
Chile was owned by German interests.
and were idle during the war. and
that the Allies were seriously con
cerned over the efforts of German
agents In Chile to interfere with FRO
duction from the remaining half At
one time Chile refused to allow the
expectation of nitrate unless this
country supplied her with oil, ard in
spite of the serious shortage of tankers
Chile demands were met and the
expert of nitrates was continued.
Secretary Baker also revealed the
fact that so serious was the need for
men and supplies in Europe follow Ins
the German drive in the spring Of
1918 that England gave up a large
number of her grain ships to the
transportation of troops from the
United States.
He testified that nitrate plant num-
Der 2, built by the Air Nitrate Cor
poration, at Muscle Shoals, with the
finest steam power in the world was
producing ammonium nitrate before
the signing of the armistice and would
/ have met its part of the ammonium
nitrate production program had the
war continued into 1919. The war
department was planning for 1919 and
lS20 hoping by tremendous drive to
finish the job in the latter year.
j The amazing growth Of the United
States is measured rather accurately
by the records made by American
railroads, aud Frank H. Fayant fur.
nishes some enlightening information
along these lines. He has ascertained
that the traffic hauled on American
! railroads is now three times as great
~ 1t was twenty years ago. In four