The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-11

city has become the headquarters OF
more national organizations and
associations than any other city IN
the country. This is evidences Of
the growth Of Washington - .
great national center, but II B even
more indicative of the manner IN
which the Federal government
touches upon and affects every &C
tivity and every interest OF the
American people.
A recent compilation, admittedly
incomplete, lists almost 800 OF these
organizations. They run the ga
NUT Of human activities-commer-
cial, professional, political, patrt-
otto, industrial, social, artistic. edu-
cational, fraternal, scientific, finan-
cial, religious, philanthropic, and
what not. Their establishments
range from modest quarters in Of
flee buildings to magnificent edi-
fees that represent Investments
running into the millions. They
give employment to thousands of
men and women. They expend mil
lions of dollars annually.
They represent the aelfishneee
and unselfishness, the achieve
ments and undertakings, the aspir-
atoms and dreams. Of a great peo-
pie. They seek to do everything
from rehabilitating convicts to I'M
mortalizing the nations great, from
lobbying bills through congress to
scotching the demon rum, from
practicing practical politics to in.
culcating high ideals of citizenship
from preaching peace to preparing
| for war, from encouraging art to
controlling world affairs, and from
advancing the cause Of labor to pro-
tecting the interests Of capital.
Some are constructive, some de-
structive. Some are boosters, some
are knockers and all are prOpagan.
dists.
Some do their work to an accom-.
paniment of brass bands and invite
the woole world to- know what they
are doing Others are secretive
and like Providence work in mys.
FERROUS way their wonders to per.
form.
Most of these organizations arr
here to influence legislation or gov
ernmental action of one kind OF
another. 1t is not to be inferred
that their efforts in this direction
are anything but legitimate, Al
they represent people and interests
that have right to be heard il
matters of that kind. Members o.
Congress sometimes grow FESTIVE
under the pressure and Emporium
ings to which they are subjected
but they recognize the fact that IL
the long run they receive valuable
information and assistance in theil
law-making.
Secret OF Their Success
The secret of the success of thes,
organizations is that administra
tions and congresses come and g
but they stay on forever and keel
everlastingly at whatever they Sc
out to accomplish. Take the Anti
Saloon League, for example. /
4 has been in Washington for man,
long years and the prohibition
amendment and the Volstead Law
are the evidences of its triumph
Then there are the women wht
fought early and late for suffrage
The Nineteenth Amendment woult
not have been added to the Consti
tuition if it had not been for thu
campaign waged in and from Wash
ington.
In the contests over prohibition
and womans suffrage there wer'
organizations ON both sides ant
the result in each instance is per
haps significant of the fact tina
affirmative propaganda is NOR
successful than negative. In Othe
words, it is easier to get something
done than it is to prevent its beini
done. Those who are seeking
modification Of the Volstead Law
so as to permit the manufactur
and sale of beer and light wine
see a ray of hope because the
have I now put the Anti-Salool
League and the friends of prohibi
ton on the defensive. Similarl
the advocates of the soldiers bonu
believe that they have the better @
their fight because they are on tn
aggressive and campaigning for
bill while their opponents ar
against it.
No one kind of legislation bring
as many organizations into actio