The Washington times. [volume], October 29, 1918, FINAL EDITION, EDITORIAL PAGE, Image 18

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EDITORIAL PAGE
OF THE
WASHINGTON TIMES
WASHINGTON
OCTOBER 2 9, 1918
pWJrWW".ii, t -
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THE NATIONAL DAILY ,gSfr
Bee. tr. S. Patent Otne. fes-7
ARTHUR BRISBANE. Editor and Owner
EDGAR D. SHAW, TiDIianer ... .
Entered as aecond class matter at the Postoffice at Washington. P. c
Published Erery Evening (Includlnr Sundays) by m
The Washington Times Company, Munsey Bldg., Pennsylvania Aye.
Mall Subscriptions: 1 year (Inc. Sundays). 17.60; 8 Months, S1.05; 1 Month. 6Sc
TUESDAT, OCTOBER J I. 1111.
How the Lions Roar
It's Near Feeding Time.
You read in the Zoo this sign: "The lions are fed at
12:30."
Yon don't need to be told that not later than 12:15 you
will hear those lions roaring and see them lashing their
tails.
The political lions are fed on the first Tuesday after
it., a . mr.nj.v in TJ7vn-nmV.ni- Wfl nxA TiAflriner the hour.
and you are not surprised at roarings and tail lashings by
th rtennnucan nous. xiiov are kcluuik a ""u "w'""
at.-.:... !,-: nVirtT nf tVia ImirVri.
nieoflora Roosevelt, the chief of the old-fashioned
lions in the Republican cage, is doing wonders for an old
Hon. With ginger and vim that others lack, he even roars
between meals- , , ' .
Vm nn1T Tiin mnrino fthont OUT soldiers and XTCS!
riant TA7?in-n'B "terrible inefficiency." The soldiers had
: ,. BniA Via fViov urnnlrl Via mertdlesslv
slaughtered when they got to Europe, nothing had been
done to get inem over -mere, au. was iwsu wx mn. u re
publican controL .
tt .- .. VnwM nm iui...TifT TmtVi that, ma.mn.cr. Two
million soldiers ATi there, and the reports indicate that
- . !AT- il !. M.fin lAirni tVl trni" onrl
tney tatce guns wiui mem wueu. mojr gu . me jf
use the guns.
But you can't discourage a first-class roarer, particu
larly when, as in the case of TB., he is hungry and has
rit. fnrrr tronrs between meals.
Now Colonel Roosevelt has a new roar. He says it is
an outrage for Woodrow Wilson to ask people to send to
Congress men that will support the President and the war.
tt; Mo ia that tVin rtnrvnln nf the United States should
ih-. RoTinMiftftTs ftTifl let them bnsv themselves interfering'
with the President, making his work difficult, checking
htm in the greatest program of efficiency ever displayed by
a nation in war.
We predict that the people of this country, voting a
.week from this Tuesday for the war and not for politics,
will say to Mr. Roosevelt, Chief Republican roarer: "We
are sending men to Europe to. support Pershing, fight
WITH hi, obey his orders, do as HE says until the war
is over.
"We are not sending critics over there to tell Pershing
how badly he is doing or to interfere with him.
"Similarly, we as voters, shall send to Washington
men to SUPPORT the President, who is Commander-in-Chief
of Pershing and all the army and navy. We shall
not send to Washington Republican critics, however bril
liant, to criticise the President, interfere with him, refuse
co-operation."
The President has the right, it is his duty, to tell the
people of this country that he must have a free hand to do
the work that the people have given him to do.
The American tp- or woman wno wouia not nave
voted for a Senator or Representative hostile to Abraham
Lincoln in Lincoln's day will not, at this election, vote for
a Representative or Senator hostile to wooorow wuson,
who represents the Executive power and will of the United
States.
To suggest such political action to the father or mother
of. an American soldier ngnttng under tne orders 01 wooa
row Wilson is foolish and impertinent.
One thing at a time is a good motto. The one thing
now is the war, with full support of the President, who is
responsible for the war.
It Makes Talk
Bismarck Won by Having Preponderance of Informa
tion. It's Different Now.
There is much peace talk now, official and otherwise.
Germany and Austria, beaten and cognizant of it, are
eager to quit fighting and begin talking. They realize the
more talk they can promote the less fighting they will have
to do.
The small boy, calling on bis lady love, was met in the
parlor by her mother, who decided to entertain him until
tne young lady finished her dressing.
"" "How's your husband?" he asked.
"He's doin' well" she replied.
Five minutes' interval, very embarrassing.
.- "How's your son Harry?" he inquired.
"He's doin' fairly, thank you.' '
A half hour passed, with inquiries each five minutes 03
to the health of some member of the family. Finally he was
unable to recall more relatives and asked concerning the
neighbors, adding, in apology:
' 'Not that I care a whoop, you know, but it makes talk. ' '
The Teutonic allies are interested now in making talk.
But they will have to talk military matters to the military
boss, Marshal Foch.
They will not be able to talk armed peace with some
one who will be confused as to the military situation.
When Bismarck arranged an armistice with France
after the Franco-Prussian war, he, as a warrior-statesman,
knew the military situation. The French diplomatists, hav
'ing been caged in Paris, eating horse meat, were unaware
of tne position of their armies in the field. Bismarck gained
a diplomatic victory through knowledge of the military
status. This time Germany will have to talk armistice to
a man who has his fingertips on the greatest military forces
the world has ever known.
TftTHng it to Foch will be different
The Eagle's Peace Notes
i in si 1 m1i. i
WMjS sHHlssssHsssssssssssssssP 1 sst .jlf-
wwiMnn ' w4&i sssflasssHsflEsssr 5SpjB32 -''
Beatrice Fairfax Writes of the Problems and Pitfalls of the War Workers
Especially for Washington Women
A GOOD many cynical things
have been, said about the
liking that most of us
hare for seeing other people work.
I wonder if some of these aren't
true. For If we are not a little
lazy, and a little heartless, and a
little disinclined to help along the
world's affairs, how la It that we
can so contentedly watch "little
mothers" overwork themselves?
We find them picturesque, these
thin-faced, serious girls of twelve
and fourteen, who devotedly play
a mother's part to sprawling, noisy
families of younger brothers and.
sisters.
We praise their unselfishness
and efficiency, and we seem to find
In them a satisfactory solution of
that problem that exists wherever
there are young children and a
mother obliged to work outside the
home.
Childhood's Burden.
And it Is true that they are won
derful little creatures, these young
girls, who are themselves still chil
dren, but who carry more than an
adult burden. In the poorer quar
ters of Washington you will find
them everywhere. The youngest
baby they carry In their arms, al
ways with a most lovely tender
ness. The others they guard with
a vigilance that no nurse ever
equals, perhaps no mother, either.
Scarcely five minutes can pass
without soothing some little one's
tears, or nringing peace to two
others who have quarreled, or
comforting another who has been
left out of a game.
It isn't an easy job, this multi
ple child-tending, as most of us
know. How have these little girls
learned to do it so well? Where
have they developed that super
human patience that they so un
failingly display? The grown-up
mothers from the same environ
ment, loving as they may be at
bottom, aren't in the least patient.
They shake and shove and slap
their little children with the most
appalling regularity, and we try
to excuse them because they are
are tired and overworked.
But there's . an even greater
fatigue in the pale, unsmiling
faces of the "little mothers." Yet
they are not on that account a bit
less kind or affectionate or re
sourceful. One wonders sometimes
if it is the pure spirit of mother
hood that blossoms out in these in
nocent glrl-children, uneorrupted
TODAY'S TOPIC
LITTLE MOTHERS
by the possessive element that is
part of an actual mother's mater
nal feeling.
More Than Mothers.
They are not playing the mother
part so perfectly from a sense of
duty alone. You can see that they
care for the younger children quite
as a mother care:, and that they
guard them with even more than a
mother's partisanship and zeal.
And nothing could be more touch
ing than the pride they display if
one of the little brothers or sisters
happens by some miracle to be
healthy, or beautiful, or preco
cious. Is a woman really a better
mother, in these practical ways,
at fourteen than she is at twenty
four? Must one be very young oneself
in order really to understand the
needs of those still younger and
tenderer?
However this may be, it is un
doubtedly true that one cannot be
a good mother at both ages. And
if a girl forfeits her youth and
even part of her childhood, and
never learns to play, and over
taxes her strength, and misses the
chance to become strong and
healthy, all in the interests of
children for whom she isn't respon
sible, what is going to become of
her own life and motherhood and
From The Public To The Editor
HARNESS THE FALLS.
To the Editor of THE TIMES:
The District of Columbia and sub
urbs uses mors than 400 tons of coal
per day to produce the electricity re
quired for lights, trolleys, and ma
chinery. If the falls of the Potomac river
were properly harnessed the power
produced would not only save this
coal and greatly reduce the price of
electricity to the people, but there
would be a large surplus which could
be used for the benefit of the city by
increasing the lighting, transporta
tion, and manufactures. One man
estimated that the power which could
bo cheaply obtained would at once
be worth $2,000 per day. This power
Is now going to waste and we are
using the fuel that should be saved
for our grandchildren.
The cost of a plant has been con
sidered almost prohibitive. Some
years sjto a very careful survey and
estimate of all expenses were made
for the use of the Lower Falls only.
The estimate was about $15,000,000.
This Included cost of a dam near the
District line above Cbain Bridge,
about 120 feet high and 1,300 feet long.
This would form a lake and the land
overflowed by It would have to be
bought at a very high price.
Many extensive changes for water
and power were proposed In the city
that would use up millions and re
quire five years time to complete.
We consider these unnecessary. All
that Is needed is to have water power
furnish the electric company with elec
tricity which It now obtains from coal
at a very much greater expense. The
company could then bank Its furnace
fires and dispose of Its electric ma
chinery Instead of investing another
million and a half, as now seems
necessary.
Our plap Is to raise the Govern
ment dam above Great Falls as much
as Is necessary to store water. Tap
the river above the dam on the Vir
ginia side and carry the water down
on the high bank of the river througn
a canal or tunnel, where a fall of
100 to 140 feet would be obtained. A
closed tunnel would savo twenty to
forty feet fall. This would produce
200,000 horsepower without using all
the water of the river. The estima
ted cost of a canal for conducting the
water from the dam Is J 400,000. A
tunnel would cost more but would
be much better. The plant required
for generating the electricity will
cost 11,000,000. The writer advises
a surplus of $1,000,000 that could be
used If recessary to make the plant
efficient. The money Is ready, and
It will cost the Government or Dis
trict nothing except for raising the
dam and buying the land required.
All that Is asked la a franchise from
the proper authorities that will pro
tect equally the people, the parties
who make the Investment, and the ex
isting electric company. The price
of electricity can be fixed and terms
of sale of the plant to the city at
the end of ten or twenty years. If de
sired. The company would also ask
reasonable projection against compe
tition. With having consulted any of the
authorities of the Potomac Electric
Power Company we take It for grant
ed that an acceptable arrangement
could be made with them, and no one
doubts the will of the people. The
nation cannot afford to have one ot
the best water powers In' the country
Idle.
W1L H. H. PHILLIP.
of the children for whom she will
some day be responsible?
Sound Health a Duty.
A weak, depleted young woman
who has already spent Tierself can
not hope to hgye sound--children.
-And that is a most serious' thing.
Nor can she properly play any
other useful part in life, whether
as wife, or housekeeper, or wage
earner. This, of course, is the reason
why we ought to weep over the
spectacle of 'little mothers," in
stead of complacently commenting
that it is sweet of them to help out
at home, but that perhapsrespon
sibility is good for them.
They oughtn't to be brought
into the case at all Suppose this
twenty-four hours a day job of
child-tending does develop in them
the virtues of unselfishness? The
danger is that they won't have any
"self left at all, that they will be
drained of all natural youthful
impulses and reduced, at eighteen,
to a mere exhausted anemic shred
of near-womanhood.
All the helpless little brothers
and sisters whom It Is true that
somebody is bound to care for are
first of all the parents' charge.
But when Illness or overwork or
poverty incapacitates the parents
(or, better still, before this hap
pens), then the community should
step in, offering its day-nurseries
and nursery-schools and visiting
nurses, and all the devices It can
think of for keeping little children
sound and safe and happy.
Communities Kot Adequate.
There aren't enough such In
stitutions now to accommodate all
the little children of Marge cities
and towns. But those of us who
have been too thoughtlessly pleas
ed with the "little mother" ar
rangement, and who perhaps
haven't already more than we can
do, might devote ourselves to the
starting ot new nurseries.
A mother whose husband Is dead
or out of work, or who has more
children than can be fed by the
father's wage unless she works
also, oughtn't to have to cripple
her oldest daughter in order to
keep the youngest ones alive. One
child should have as good a chance
as another, and some day, when
there are plenty of child welfare
stations, and day nurseries, and
Infant schools and playgrounds,
perhaps every child can have a
chance.
Display Real Liberality in
Annual and Sick Leaves
By BILL PBIOE.
This is rm time for executive officials of Government
departments and bureans, hirrh or low. to display narrow nl
hair-splitting methods in construing regulations for annual!
and sick leaves of absence. 1
No broad jninded official is coins: to do it. and fittW
chaps, temporarily clothed with authority, should be pre
vented from doing it
The United States Government is receiving magnificent
support from its civil service employes under circumstances
that will never exist again when this war and this tryiae
epidemioare over. With patriotism and loyalty not second
to men in the trenches they are devotedly 'attending to
their work, arriving at and sticking to their desks although
half ill, tired out, or otherwise unfitted for duty. Working
in the day and nursing the sick at night, they are drawing
heavily op that reserve so valuable te their health and ef
ficiency in the future.
Heroines and heroes there are by thousands in thia
city since this death-dealing epidemic made its appear
ance. Forgetful of self, of dangers, and pecuniary consid
erations, they have taken up the burdens of the sick room.
the hospitaL Many a girl war worker has dropped every-
uung bibb 10 give ner wnoie tune to a comraae or a stranger
naving no relatives or ciose mends nere, irequently span
ned and neglected by money-grabbing room Tenters.
Uncomplainingly, the vast army of Government work
ers accepted early in the year new regulations greatly
limiting annual and sick leaves heretofore granted. In
some establishments the annual leaves were reduced to
fifteen days for the year. In still others many employes
have had no leave at all, voluntarily refraining from asking
this privilege, granted by the law.
Secretary McAdoo, executive head of the Treasury
Department, under which comes the War Bisk Burean and
its 12,000 employes, leads the way in directions. for the
greatest liberality in construing the law and regulations
controlling leave. ,
He now orders that all permanent employes he accord
ed two and a half days each month of annual and sick
leave, where circumstances warrant.
Temporay and probationary employes, heretofore de
nied leave until they had been in the service three months,
are to5e accorded the same monthly leave as permanent
employes from the date of taking oath. This is to be ef
fective until the epidemic terminates. It's rieht.
"Contract" workers, those employed by the hour, art
not provided for, but Mr. McAdoo and the humane of
ficials under-him will doubtless find means to treat them
fairly. There should be no distinction.
If there are other departments and bureaus splitting
hairs over.the suhject of leave they might quickly imitate
the Treasury. The law specifically allows thirty days each
of annual and sick leave to Government employes, within
the discretion of officials.
Old, experienced employes'' of the Government have
been badly treated in salaries. They faithfully do' heavy
daily grinds and deny themselves deserved leave. "Whether
they ask for leave or not, look out for their best interests,
Uncle Sam, as they every day do for yours.
f
HEARD AND SEEN
A "girl war worker" in the
Treasury wrote me that she had
been home with her sister, seriously
Ql with influenza, and that she had
used all of her sick leave and her
money. Would The Times help neri
When you return to wonc see
PAUL MYERS, chief clerk of the
Treasury, and I have a hunch that
you will be treated fairly. -
An employe of the Food Adminis
tration writes to BEN S. ALLEN,
director of the educational bureau,
of a dangerous woman, probably de
mented, who is visiting homes in
Washington inquiring as to tne
number, of sick. If cases of influ
enza are reported she declares:
If they really had influenza they
would die in one day. All patients
die right off."
Beport promptly to the District
health office or nearest police officer
a description of this woman or any
body else talking this way.
That hour you gained today has
brought me sharp criticism from a
veteran reader of Heard and Seen.
It was all caused in the attempt to
quote a line of "Backward, turn
backward, oh, time, in thy flight"
JOHN B. MCCARTHY welcomes
me. He is one of the fathers of Earl
Godwin's club,. but he warns that I
must be careful. "Don't make any
more breaks like the one about
Turn backward.' These lines, read,
Backwards, turn backwards,' etc
You put the 'turn' before the first
backwards."
I confess that I am not a poet, a
prima donna, or a Caruso. My voice
was never cultivated except for
shouting at election time and calling
for more meat and bread at meal
time. I am going to appoint a com
mittee consisting of OTTO DE
MOLL, ED DROOP and GEORGE
O'CONNOR to guide me in.my liter
ary efforts about music and song.
But will other members of the
Heard and Seen family tell me if
Friend McCarthy is right in writing
"Backwards, turn backwards?"
Ought the "s" be there?"
The reference to the song took
COL. JOHN O. CAPERS, eminent
Washington attorney, back to bis
boyhood days. In writing his con
gratulations to The Times he speaks
of "Turn backward, oh time In
YOUR flight."
Now is it "your" or "thy" flight?
Sunday Is a good day for this to be
definitely settled. Please furnish
the results.
How to Halt Bent Profiteers,
A half dozen new appeals ari
made to The Times for advice as ts
how to halt rent profiteers. Many
Peple.are being ordered to give uj
their mnm ny hmnM .... i
dates. If these demands are intended.
to noisx your rent or get yon cut so
that famehrulTr !cj will ..... J-
creased rent, just do this and do it
4UJC&;
uo to 11 H street aortkirest, q
for Cast. JUUHS WTnm - .i.
ants, and tell yo story. HeTI st
me same in snort oraer. He's) pane
the, hides from, mere aknaka la a few
moatfca than any ataer IrrlngBaask
MISS EVAJjYN THOMPsnw. of hm
Washington Loan and Trust Com
pany, proposes "three helps" In con
nection with the transportation of
war workers In nHntn rv v.i
the worker on his way; help the
patriotic citizen to. an easy con
science; help the Government In Its
W. S. S. campaign."
Miss Thompson points out that a
war worker is embarrassed In ac
cepting free rides, and she proposes
this: When a war worker halla a.
machine ha shall TffMt tit. tv
Stamp card. Each car owner shall
and, as the price of transportation.
uio war wuraer Boau purcnase at
least one stamD and attach th m
to card. "
E. M. PETERSON. 1301 O street:
northwest, asks a Question of wide
spread public interest, and the an
swer will be equally Interesting.
Have the great war speeches of
President Wilson before Congress
and elsewhere known and read la J
every land been preserved to po-j
tenty in ms own voice!
"With what Interest." he asks,-;
"would people now, to say nothing of 1
twenty-five, fifty or a hundred years '
from now, listen to a record that
produced In the voice of this great
President the utterances that hold
the attention of the world to an ex
tent never before equaled?"
If not so preserved to posterity,
would the request ot millions Justify
the President In repeating the ad
dresses? Unfortunately the President's war
speeches have not been preserved In,
his own voice. It has been urged J
at the White House many times, but!
the President, for some reason, naa
not consented to It.
FRANK J. STONE, second vicol
president of the National Savings
and Trust Company: "AU genuine
Washingtonians enjoy 'Heard and
Seen,' especially 'remmlscences."
y(fcs