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Show CURRENT COMMENT XN the hurry of these disjointed times little thought is given to our pension pen-sion laws. It is too bad that this is so, for we ought to be deeply interested in-terested in the families of the men who are to do our fighting, and it would he well to be more generous toward the pensioned. This would not he so hard were there fewer facilities for defrauding the government; in other words, were it not so easy for the undeserving to get on the pension roll. A great deal of scandal has been attached to what is termed the pension industry, the consequence being that the public has appeared to be disinclined to the liberality lib-erality that ought to characterize its attitude in this matter. This is the grievous fault of our government, and now is the time to cultivate culti-vate a sentiment that later on -will bespeak our patriotism in peace as well as in war. Why are we today preparing young men rather than married men for the front? Beca iso we do so little for the dependants of soldiers. Pensions are doled out not according to the needs of dependents but according to what in the opinion of well-fed persons ought to enable a family of the working-class level just to scrape along. This is a matter about which we might learn much from the ancients. J When Pericles delivered his funeral speech on the Athenians who had died in the first Peloponnesian war he attempted to give comfort chiefly to the par- p ents of the dead and only incidentally to the widows and children. They, he knew, would be taken care of. "Their children," he said, "will be brought up to manhood at the public expense: the State thus offers a valuable prize as the garland of victory in the race of valor, the reward both of those who have fallen and their survivors." He added: "Where the rewards of merit are greatest, there a.re found the best citizens." It is interesting to note in this connection that Pericles' sole reference to lamenting widows was by way of warning them to behave themselves. "Great will be your glory," he said to the widows, "by falling short of your natural character; and greatest will be hers who is least talked of among the men whether for good or bad." From this it is to be inferred that the widows would have nothing to worry about. Town Talk. O RESIDENT WILSON'S Flag day address is not only the most startling statement he has ever made, but it is the most vigorous indictment of the German empire that has ever seen print. But chiefly it is startling in the picture drawn of our future. Says the president: "We are about to bid thousands, hundreds of thousands it may be millions of our men the young, the strong, the capable men of the nation to go forth and die on the fields of blood far away." I This is a terrible call, but one to which the young manhood of America will respond. In responding they in turn will make a call upon President Wilson which he will not refuse. They will ask that he conduct this war in the most efficient manner possible, at whatever sacrifice to himself. The demand of these young men about to die is stronger than any demand of friendship, of political alliance, of personal political expendiency, of personal political gratitude. grati-tude. They demand that President Wilson call into his cabinet the most efficient effi-cient men that he can find. For a reasonable delay in selecting such a cabinet no criticism will be forthcoming. forth-coming. The field for choice Is wide. Our naval organization affords him nothing noth-ing to correspond with the British admiralty, nor have we any man who, like Lord Kitchener, stands out pre-eminent beyond question the leading soldier of our day. On only one point do we find the public and profession alike unanimous, and that is the unfitness of Josephus Daniels to he secretary of the navy. His retention obstructs enlistments, delays organization, discourages heroism, and threatens defeat. The president's loud call for patriotism is muffled while Daniels remains. Before changing other appointees the president may well hesitate. Some of his cabinet Avill show themselves of true war making timber. The others had best hold office until the president feels reasonably sure he has found the right men for the permanent staff. A frequent changing of cabinet officers is .not desirable. It is to be remembered that much advance work of a most creditable nature has been done. War legislation is well up to the best opinion of the day. Men of undoubted power and ability many of them have been called into consultation, consulta-tion, and now occupy lesser positions in war administration. Such ones of these as develop the greatest capacity will, we feel confident, be chosen to oc- t cupy the permanent cabinet posts in the war. And no man in congress or without with-out will consider whether thoy are Republicans, Democrats, or Progressives, nor will any one dare to suggest that any given state or congressional district is "entitled to recognition" in the selection of men whose work will decide how many hundreds of thousands of young men "shall die on the fields of blood far away." Chicago Tribune. |