Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1919 — SUCH A HEADACHE AFTER THE SPREE! [ARTICLE]

SUCH A HEADACHE AFTER THE SPREE!

The league of nations is now assured. The round robin is an amusing toy-play of American politics which will scarcely command a line on the page of history. The senate will ratify the treaty. And President Wilson will bring back that which he went to Europe to ge t —and with it the greatest triumph that has ever fallen to an American statesman in all our history. Just now efforts are being made by the great retreating army of the opposition to make it appear that it has always, favored the league, of nations and that it has made the league possible despite the president. Lest we forget—a little recent history. When the president announced his intention of going to Europe in the interest of the league the opposition bitterly attacked him. He was told to stay at home and mind his own business. Hut he went. And the opposition, weakening Blightly in its opposition, declared that while a league of nations is Bonfething that all of us want, it 'was criminal and playing with fire and encouraging anarchy and bolhevism, flood and famine and in<ant death to insist on 'making the Jeague an essential business of the peace conference. “Let it go over,” Bald Lodge. "Let it wait until afterwards,” said Knox. “Don’t let this league business stand in the way of hurrying the boys back instantly,” said New. But Wilson saw that the league was made an essential part of the covenant of peace and was given immediate consideration. “He is delaying the making' of peace with this foolishness,’,’ cried the opposition. But that was before Lloyd George said that the reason so much better time has been made in the congress of Paris

than In the congress of Vienna Is because so much can be attended to by the league of nations to be formed. And then the tentative constitution is submitted. It Is submitted one day, published in the morning papers, and the evening papers published columns of bitter attacks from members of the opposition who had been Interviewed at noon. It took these sage gentlemen six hours to master the details of a plan that the greatest statesmen of Europe had spent three months in formulating. And the attack began—upon the league of nations. Colonel Harvey became a public orator —because he is against the league. Senator Poindexter was invited to New York to make his speech against any league to a partisan club which decided that the speech made him presidential size. James M. Beck in an intemperate speech to cheering partisans denounced the president as though he were a horse thief. Senators, of the oppositions, refused to dine at the White House because their “minds were made up” and they were “irrevocably against a league.” Mr. Hays, in Minneapolis, declared very solemnly against “this internationalism.” And he promised that “we will be the party of nationalism against internationalism.’’ And New and Watson took the stump as in a political campaign. Mi. New had been too busy to make speeches for the Liber’Jy loans and kindred movement but he found time to stump the state against the league of nations. And then the iieople began to speak—and vote through the newspapers—and “oh, Such a difference in the morning,’’ and no ice water to be had. And the drug stores out of bromo seltzer. And Mr. Hays writes to Mr. Root —“Save us or we sink.” And Mr. Root writes some suggestions that President Wilson had said the week of his return he would be glad to consider and which Taft had proposed long before. { When Root proposed them, Mr.

Hays aaid —"Now we see the light. That’s us.” When Taft proposed them four weeks before they mads no Impression on Mr. Hays and his colleague. Mr. Taft was not Invited to* ad-1 dress partisan clubs—for he was for the league, though he bad proposed these amendments. Colonel Harvey and James M. Beck and Senator Poindexter were invited to address these clubs for they were against the league, against Taft and against Wilson. | Hut the rumble and the grumble and the growl from that “mob" out there —the plain people. That was ominous. Something had to be done. And It wouldn’t do to fall back on Taft’s proposed amend-! mints now for after he had proposed them and long after he had, proposed them the fight against the league went on. “Why not get some new man to make the same proposals?" There's Root! And so “save us or we sink!” And so “my letter to Root" and “Root’s letter to me” and the Great Discovery. And so “we did it —me and my wife, my son John and his wife, us four and no more" —and Wil-. son didn’t have anything to do. with It all! But Lordy, child, w-hat will history say?—Ft. Wayne JournalGazette. TWO REASONS FOR THRIFT, When the war was in progress Americans gave freely from motives of patriotism. In their enthusiasm they did not stop to consider any selfish ends. But In giving to the war they really made an investment for themselves. Every dollar put Into governmnet bonds is so much invested in one’s own name for one’s own benefit. Every dollar thus given comes back to the giver with emoluments in the form of interest, credit or Increased opportunity. So, in the course of time when the impulse had subsided somewhat, it dawned in upon us that what we advanced to the government was not a gift at all, but a loan with the promise of interest. We were In fact the beneficiaries of our own philanthropy. And now with the war over and all forces engaged in bringing industry back to normal, we are better 4 situated mentally to consider the merits of our giving, if we choose to call it giving. Let us call it, not a gift, but an investment. You are not giving, but investing money, when you have a gilt edged guarantee of repayment, with 18 to 21% dividends. War savings stamps, for example, paying 4 % interest, compounded quarterly, represent a sound investment. The life of Industry is what Is saved over and above the living cost The surplus of the people's savings is the available capital ilpon which industry feeds. Therefore, every man contributes to industry in proportion as he saves, and he shares in the benefits of Industry to the extent of his contribution. If nobody saved anything the country would be without capital and industry would die a natural death.

That is one reason for thrift. Money freely spent is immediately distributed and serves only a momentary purpose. But savings placed on deposit is put to work at interest and enables another to use it for permanent good. The borrower reinvests in one way or another, usually by putting it into improvements and thus contributing something to the upbuilding of the community. In this way there is a twofold benefit derived from the savings. The first man gets not only his interest, but shares in the improvement which his savings made 'possible. The second man is enabled to make an investment which gives him a distinct advantage. The benefits from savings are mutual. is another reason for thrift. There is yet a moral side to thrift which need not be mentioned here because everybody knows what it is. The spirit of saving stabilizes the mental attitude and better fits the man for life’s struggle.