The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-03-03

SUFFICIENT 10 constitute our military prepared
ness. 1t leaves our reserve establishment as|
loosely organized as ever. It is return to the
old unpreparedness that has cost us so dear.
WHY so EASY WITH MARTENS?
Martens, the soviet ambassador" to the
United States has peculiar notions of the con-
duct BETTING an ambassador, and wonder is
why the department of justice has not yet land
ed heavily on this person and sent him out OF
the country. He admits that he consorted with
and openly encouraged forces in this country
that are hostile to our form Of government. He
acknowledges sending telegram of sympathy
to the Russian socialist federation here, whose
Epernicious activity lead to the wholesale raids
upon radicals and many orders Of deportation.
These forces are at work to destroy the Ameri-
can government. Our ideals of liberty and toll
erance of views of others need not run past the
limit Of self-preservation; we need not counten-
ance protected by diplomatic recognition this
man left free and untrammeled in the exercise
Of influence against US If we have modicum
Iof common sense left we shall stop Martens and
this sort of thing We do not recognize the boil
shevist government Of Russia. Martens says
he represents that government. But he is
German, was in the German army and is alleg
ed to have been a German spy. His Russian
citizenship was given him. Germany has
furthered Russian radcalism because she sees
in keeping Russia in turmoil. 1t
may not be too rash a conclusion to infer that
Martens entered his American career as an
agent both of Russian radicalism and of the
German diplomacy that seeks to abet it.
The official bulletin of the Office of the assist
ant secretary of war reads: "The government
needs large numbers of stenographers and typ
L.
are 81 900 to 81 200 year, plus bonus of $40
month authorized by congress- Higher salaried
positions are usually filled by promotion" Ac-
cording to prominent members of congress,
Washington has a great army of clerical work
ers now who are not earning the money that the
public is paying under heavy taxation 1t is
possible that typists and stenographers are not
Included in this army Of slackers, but it seems
improbable that this is So 1t is all very well
to seek to give employment to returned soldiers,
but this sort of advertising by the war depart
Iment wakes suspicion.
The department of justice boasts that it fore
led twenty one million eggs out Of cold storage
early in the winter. That was egg for each
five inhabitants of the United States That
number of eggs would provide breakfast for
the United States for one morning, if some Of
al egg. Now, how much does Mr.. Palmer think
he cut the price of eggs by the accomplishment
for which he claims credit? The price of eggs
did not come down until the hens began their
spring laying.
! Closer scrutiny Of immigrants coming to this
country in the Storage has again been resumed,
the dispatches tell u.s. It should never have
been relaxed. Had there always been close
scrutiny not merely of Storage but of all incom-
ing passengers, we would have been spared many
troubles in these recent days.
! All the mental qualification the new secretary
of state will need is ability to make his thought
travel on single track. The track viii be
furnished and if he runs off it even onto a.
switch, he will be eligible for another job
! AS Mr.. Tumulty hangs amid the crash of
tributary thrones, it is assumed that he careful
ly refrains from upsetting the constitution bvI
doing anything whatever unless he is told to dol
it.