Iron County register., 1922-04-06
Washington Correspondence.
BY WALLACE BAssFoRD.

House has at last passed another
bonus bill, though almost identical in
form-with the one, passed two years
ago and which the Senate laid on the
shelf at Harding's request. Itremains
to be seen what will be done with the
present bill, with all of Wall street
opposing it. The bill itself is satis-
factory to no one. The soldier whose
adjusted compensation" entitled him
to less than $50 can get it in cash; the
others have to take certificate of in.
debtedness which finally becomes due
in 20 years. Meanwhile, if he wants
to get money, he has to borrow it at a
bank and pay larger rate of interest
than the certificate bears, though the
certificate is as much the obligation
of the government as is a Liberty
Bond and should entitle the owner to
the lowest rate of interest at which
money can be borrowed. 1t is difficult
to understand why the soldier should
be allowed to borrow only so per cent
of the face value of the certificate; al
most any bank will lend 75 per cent
of the market value of a certificate of
stock in railroad or industrial cor
poration if the stock is listed on the
New York Stock Exchange, though
these stocks at times f1uctuate wildly,
and, of course, have much less stable
value than the obligation of the Unit
ed States Government.
Senator Lodge insists that Congress
has made great and glorious record
of constructive legislation; the aver
age man on the street thinks that
Congress has done practically moth
ing, and has done it very badly.
The Republicans made great deal
of noise, about year ago, over the
question of reorganizing the Govern
mental Departments, cutting out
much duplication of work and thus
saving the taxpayers many millions
of dollars. A most excellent Congress
sionai Commission was made up for
the work, but some time ago the
President insisted that he be allowed
to place personal representative on
this Commission, a suggestion which
was opposed by the two Democratic
members, Senator Harrison of Missis
sippi ana Representative p WsFson
Moore of Virginia. Nevertheless, the
President appointed Walter R. Brown
of Ohio, and the Commission made
him chairman. UP to that time the
Commission was making excellent
progress and gave promise of saving
many millions, but Brown served as
an anaesthetic of the most powerful
sort and the suspicion is very strong
that this was the purpose of his ap-
pointment. Since that time there
has been absolutely nothing done; re-
organization is chloroformed. No
meetings are being held and work is
at standstill. Thus the administra-
tion escapes two embarrassments;
many hundreds of jobs are saved to
the party and number of inter-de-
partmental wrangles are hushed up.
Agriculture and Interior were ready
to fly at each others throats over the
question of which shonld control the
Forest Service: Interior and Com
merce were at daggers' points over
Alaska; Treasury and Justice both
striving to get control over prohibi-
tion enforcement; Commerce and
Agriculture divided over Packers
Control legislation; and so on dowr
the list. The departmental chiefs are
as jealous Of each other as bunch oi
opera singers. Each is constantly
striving to extend his authority, his
dominion and the number of his ap
pointments. Rather hard on the pool
taxpayer.
There seems to be no. end to the
Newberry money; it is now the gossip
that members of the family, who
seem to be mostly millionaires, inten6
to contribute literally to the cam
paign funds of all Republican Sena'
tors who have to fight for their seat
by reason OF having supported Sena
tor Newberry in his contest to holt
his seat. There are lively fights nov
on against Townsend in Michigan
Pepper in Pennsylvania, Poindexte
in Washington and Frelinghuysen il
New Jersey, for the nomination, ant
other fights yet to begin. Then o
the general election the Democrat
will go after every scalp that is still il
place after the Republican primaries
This should put a heavy strain on tn
Newberry barrel, for the buying 0
one seat cost 100000. When the Re
publican Senate seated Newberry,
placed-the seal OF its approval on th
purchase; it remains to be seen If tn
voters will endorse the decision Of th
Newberry family to gointo the whole
sale Senatorial toga market.
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