Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1920-09-30


ents. He protested against the dis
play In Europe. Standing In tn,
] United States Senate he said:
| 'It was to prevent such scene,
ms this that Congress- required tn,
Executives duties to be exercised. a
the seat Of government by the act Of
1870. By the act Of March 4, 1913
II was further provided that the Pres.
ident should not extend or accept any
invitation to participate In any inter.
national conference without first hav.
ing specific authority Of law to do So
Both Of these essential acts have
been violated In letter and spirit.
THE cables have been burdened
with useless news. Sleepless mothers
have been crowded of the wires In
this foolish and cruel display Of I'M
American adulation abroad"
Why Bills Were High
AN this cost the American taxpay-
er pretty penny. too, and they have
mt got peace vet. II would not have
been too much to pay II the wounds
had been bound up, but II seems too
much to pay to keep us out OF peace.
President Wilson, In reporting to
Congress last August, estimated the
total cost Of the American Peace
Commission up to December 1, 1919,
at $1,5O8,778.83. exclusive Of the
cable tolls. which he said would be
heavy. and which proved to be about
100000.
The average American probably is
lost In amazement In trying to figure
out how the peace delegates from
this country could eat up one and one
half million dollars In few months.
That is because. no doubt, he does not
understand what grand tour of ad-
min:stration favorites this voyage Of
the modern Argonauts was.
Statesmen, photographers, geo.
graphers, astronomers, etymologists,
biologists, economists, flnanciers. sec
retaries. clerks and administration
favOrites to the number Of approx
mately 1,4O0 landed on the Paris pay
roll. IT was standing joke in Paris
that Wilson expert could be found
on nearly every street corner. warn.
ing the world of its impending col
lapse hourly unless Mr.. Wilon was
entrusted with its salvation.
The expense does not include the
cost Of operation Of the George
Washington" which was fitted up
with extraordinary sumptuousness for
the Argonauts. Glass canopies were
built under which the President
could promenade. The most celebrat-
ed chefs from New York hotels were
engaged to prepare the coffee and
rolls for the world-savers. Money
was spent with a lavish hand, both |
on the journey and in Paris where the
delegation took over an entire hotel,
and one Of the most exclusive in the
French Capital.
One Of the ArgOnauts, devoted
friend Of the administration. who was
living contentedly on $4,000 a year
as an assistant in THE State Depart
ment, was put on the peace journey
payroll at 100000 per annum.
Money In Golden Stream
In Paris the Presidents aids must
lave made the natives sit up and
wonder II a new Monte CristO had
ome to town. In a few months they
pent for food and subsistence alone
There was nothing
heap about this American court" as
/ woke up sleepy old Paris. Joy rid
ng. 1t appears, was one Of the mild
diversions. In addition to the pur-
base Of automobiles, >taxicabs were
fred in uncounted numbers. The
opulace Of Paris had a standing Joke
hat If no taxicabs were to be had
hey probably were in use by the
Peace Commission.
The Hotel Crillon was the scene Of
ONE dazzling parties, It seems, and
he elaborateness Of the functions was
ever allowed to suffer from a sense
( parsimony. The slogan seemed to
e in these cases: "Damn the ex-
enser'
Is It any wonder, with the adula-
on Of royalty in London, with din
~ Off $15,O0O,OOO worth of gold
late in Buckingham Palace, served
/ every turn by funkies and royalty
checked footmen and servants max
lg obeisance as they walked back
ards, with the gorgeous adornments
the palaces in which he made his
ome, with "Vive lie President Will
IN" ringing in his ears for months
1t any wonder the President seemed
have succumbed and finally beheld'