River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-01-29
Our Weekly Letter
From Washington
By James A. Frear, M. C.


The House passed a River ant
Harbor bill last week. Not the ole
time pork barrel of $50,000,000 or ov.
en-, like those annually in force be,
fore the writer first put a monkey
wrench where it would do the most
good. The 1920 bill appropriates on
ly $12,000,000 which it is believed
will care for all present and real
navigation needs. Amendments were
prevented that would have doubled
the bill. Congratulations have been
received from many members over
pairing down the old pork barrel to
a spare rib. When the $50,000,000
bill was opposed in 1914 the writ
er's efforts provoked ridicule among
the old time spoils group. After
several bills were defeated or pared
down, in fights in the committee and
House, and after a public building
pork barrel also was defeated, river
and harbor bills have improved until
the present one reaches only one
quarter of the old fashioned favorite
kind. Needed public economy aided
in reducing this bill, but before a
permanent improvement is reached,
the whole subject must be taken ov-
er by board of public works and if
inland waterways are to be of any
value, cut throat rail freight rates
which throttle waterway commerce
must be stopped.
During the River and Harbor bill
debate it was predicted that the army
bill estimates for over half million
men to cost $1,24O,O 100000 would be
cut to less than half that amount.
The big army advocates in the War
Department who make up the esti-
mates apparently have not learned
that the war is over. The problem of
feeding the starving babies and wo-
mes in Europe and at the same time
preventing the use of money directly
or indirectly for war or commercial
purposes has reached stage where
any money set aside will be limited
to profits made by the grain corpor-
alton out of sales to European count
ries during the war. We never sought
to make profits out of food stuff
sales to war stricken governments
and any effort to give aid to prevent
starvation will be confined to that
fund according to indications. A Wig
orous protest occurred in the commit
tee against loans for the purpose OF
helping any country maintain its war
or commercial status. We have en-
ough needs at home for all such mon
ey.
Propaganda for and against the
Palmer anti-sedition bills deluged
Congress last week. A few scatter
ing kilograms and news items were
received in it's favor but when the bill
was read and it's possible scope un-
derstood, hundreds of letters came to
every member protesting against it.
Ministers, lawyers, and men and wo-
men from every walk of life includ-
ing many labor organizations declar-
ed it's death penalty might be invok-
ed against anyone whose writings or
words might be construed by any
Judge or jury to have been an incit-
ing cause for death or violence. 9th
er provisions exacted equal criticisms.
The leading Democratic paper of the
country said its passage would make
it a violation of law to print the con-
stitution or Declaration of Indepen-
dence. Senators Borah, Norris, Ow-
ems and others with many leading
legal authorities were against the
bill while writings of Roosevelt and
many public men, living and dead
were offered in opposition, Repre-
sentatives try to get the facts accord
ing to the terms of bills and will dc
so in this case. The present law will
be strengthened if need be to reach
those who would overthrow the gov
eminent by violence, but no measure
is likely to pass that prevents free
and fair discussion of public ques-
tions.
x
A prominent Southern Senator I'M
parted a secret to me the other day
that / am repeating in confidence
without mentioning names. Recently
a bright newspaper reporter gave a
list of bachelors in the Senate with
a few words as to their eligibility as
husbands. The Senator whose age
is between 40 and 60 years was
among the number and soon after
publication of their virtues, pictures
and single blessedness, proposals OF
marriage were received that would
make a coy maiden seem like veter-
an social rounder, compared witt