The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-03-31
WASHINGTON LETTER
By Wallace Bassford
Special News Correspondent


form with the one passed two years
ago and which the Senate laid on the
shelf at Harding's request. 1t remains
to be seen what will be done with the
present bill, with all of Wall Street
opposing it. The bill itself is salts
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 Indebtedness which finally be-
comes due in 20 years. Meanwhile, if
he wants to get money, he has to bor-
row it at a bank and pay a larger
rate of interest than the certificate
bears, through the certificate is as
much the obligation of the govern
ment as is 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; aA~Tost any
bank will lend rs per cent. OF the
market value of a certificate of stock
in a railroad or industrial corpora
ton # the s'ock IS listed on the New
York Stock Exchange, though these
stocks at times f1uctuate wildly, and,
of course, have much less stable val
ue than the obligation of the United
States Government.
Senator Lodge insists that Congress
has made a 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 a great
deal of noise, about a year ago, over
the question of recognizing the Gov
ermental Departments, cutting out
much duplication of work and thus
saving the taxpayers many millions
of dollars. A most excellent Congress
sional Commission was made up for
the work, but some time ago the
President insisted that he be allowed
to place a personal representative on
this Commission, a suggestion which
was opposed by the two Democratic
members, Senator Harrison of Missi-
ssippi, and Representative r. Wal
ton Moore, of Virginia. Nevertheless,
the President appointed Walter K.
Brown, Ohio, and the Commission made
him Chairman. Up to that time the
Commission was making great progress
and gave promise of saving many mill
lions, but Brown served as an anaes-
thetic of the most powerful sort and
the suspicion is very strong that this
was the purpose of his appointment.
Since that time there has been abso-
lutely nothing done: reorganization
is chloroformed. No meetings are be-
ing held and work is at a StandStill.
Thus the administration escapes two
embarraSSmentS, many hundreds OF
jobs are saved to the party and
number of nter-departmental wrang-
les are hushed uD. Agriculture and
Interior were ready to fly at each
others threats over the question OF
which should control the Forest Ser
vice; Interior and Commerce were at
daggers points over Alaska; Treas
airy and Justice both striving to get
control over prohibition enforcement;
Commerce and Agriculture divided
over the Packers Control legislation;
and so on down the list. The depart
mental chiefs are as jealous of each
other as a bunch of opera singers
Each is constantly striving to extend
his authority, his dominion and the
number of his appointments. Rather
hard on the poor 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, intend
to contribute literally to the cam
paign funds of all Republican Sena-
tors who have to fight for their seats
by reason of having supported Sena-
tor Newberry in his contest to hold
his seat. There are lively fights now
on against Townsend in Michigan,
Pepper in Pennsylvania, Poindexter in
Washington and Frelinghuysen in
New Jersey, for the nomination, and
other fights yet to begin. Then at the
general election the Democrats will
go after every scalp that is still in
place after the Republican primaries.
This should put a heavy strain on the
Newberry barrel, for the buying OF
one seat cost 100000. When the Re-
publican Senate seated Newberry, it
placed the seal of its approval on the
purchase: it remains to be seen II the
voters will endorse the decision OF
the Newberry family to go into the
wholesale Senatorial toga market.
Why not list the Republican Sena-
! torial seats on the New York Stock
Market and thus make the trading
public and under responsible super
vision?
/ A Washington paper called Labor
devoted to the interests of the work
ers, thinks that Wilson, Billy Sunday
and Harding should be added to the
lists of the immortals, because VIII
SON kept us out of War, while Sunday
is keeping us out of Hades anc
Harding is keeping us out or work
Harding could not control the
House on the bonus proposition; the
members of that body have to ans
wer to the voters in November. INT
President can only control the HOUSE
when he asks it to do somethin1
which the people desire. Preslden
Wilson was called dictator when H.
put one meritorious measure site
; another through willing Congress
cooperating with him day after ia
for six wears, until the Republicans go
control of the House. Then Wilsol
said: Those who call me dictate