New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-13
KAISER ALONE READY.
Continued from ninth page.

same words as the duke when the latter pleaded
in the House of Lords that the public has Lad
every hour, every minute of my time.
The other harge-indifference-is one which is
still more painful to me- Indifference. my lords,
to what?' he continued, with deep emotion.
Indifference to the honor of the country! To
the success and safety OF :he army! My lords,
1 have like many who listen to me, too dear
hostages for my interest in the welfare, in the
military service of the country. to admit Of
such sentiment. 1 have two sons in the field and
that alone. l think. would be sufficient"
Lord Lansdowne, too. had sons in the field
during the Boer War; and while it is just as
foolish to ascrihe TO him "aristocratic indiffer
ence and Incidence" as il was to accuse the
Duke Of Newcastle thereof in connection with
the Crimean campaign. yet it cannot be denied
that he has proved himself quite much
a lamentable failure as Minister Of War IS was
the Duke Of Newcastle
The revelations of the latter's incompetency
brought about the downfall Of the Aberdeen
Cabinet. by means OF an overwhelming defeat
in the House OF Commons. II is somewhat
fortunate for the Balfour administration that
Parliament should have been prorogued when
the report OF the Boer War Commission was is
sued to the public the other day. and that Br-l-
ish legislators are now too bus!ly engaged
tagging birds on the moors to think Of bring
ing down ministers. Otherwise Premier Bal
four might have been called upon to drop Lord
Lausdowne overheard or else to tender the res
ignation Of the SO sadly divided Unionist ad-
ministTation over which he presides.
What serves to exasperate the English people
irrespective Of party-more than anything else
is the conviction that the War Department is
just as unready for war to-day as it was when
table character of the conflict had been fore
seen for years previously; that it is as unready
as it vas in 1854. in the days Of the Duke Of
Newcastle and that, in spite Of the colossal
character Of the war budget, which is larger
than that Of Germany, things in Pail Mall are
just as bad ever. The only consolation left
to them is the knowledge that a similar condi-
ton of affairs prevails at every other War De-
partmeut save that Of Berlin.
Reforms Of the most radical character It is
true have been brought about at the War De-
partment at Washington But they have not
yet been wholly completed, nor have they been
subjected to the crucial test Of war with some
European power; while it must never be for
gotten how wholly unprepared were the United
states military authorities when war broke out
with Spain in 1S!S. and how all the efforts OF the
late President Mckinley. of the State Depart
Inent and Of its agents abroad. notably in
Madrid and in London, were devoted to stavinS
off the beginning Of hostilities until some few
elementary measures had been adopted for the
defence Of the coasts, such as the shipping Of
ammunition to forts which had guns, but no
shells or powder. and the dispatch of ordnance
TO those other forts which had ammunition but
guns
1t is the same IN France. No people in the
world have lavished money more unstinttngly
upon their army than the French, especially
during the thirty-three years that have elapsed
since the overthrow Of the empire after Sedan.
And yet it is doubtful whether, in the event OF q
war with Germany, their gallant troops would
not be subjected TO many Of the very same dis
advantages by their War Department as those
which contributed cruelty 10 their defeat in
the war OF 1870 In one word. thanks 10 her
War Department. France is not ready for war
to-day any more than she was in 1879 and 1870,
and as an expert authority for this assertion