The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1903-12-31
ECHOES OF THE
MACARTHUR STORY
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer saws:

The Seattle t-lntelligencer says:
Either Gen. Macarthur OF. some one
connected with the Hawaiian national
guard has been guilty of very grave
Iindiscretion In the report of Col. Jones,
of the Hawaiian militia, appears the
statement that at the recent military
conference in Honolulu, Gen. Macarthur
stated that in all probability war would
take place between Germany and the
United States in the near future, fact
which makes the Hawaiian militia of
national Importance.
Such statement, attributed to an
officer of the rank of Gen. Macarthur,
est rank in the army, will be very en-
barrassing to the administration; and
doubtless Gen. Macarthur will be called
upon to make an explanation The fact
is, however, that the impression is
strongly current in military circles, in
the navy particularly, that soon or late
the United States will come into armed
conflict with Germany, although naval
officers do not make public statement to
that effect. Particularly is this the case
with the officers who served in the
Dewey fleet at Manila, who resent the
actions of the German admiral at that
time.
Outside of military and naval circles,
the talk of possible war with Germany
is treated lightly. It is one of those
things which is possible. of course, but
it is considered improbable to the last
degree. Speaking to military SUBJ
ordinates. on matter involving the ma
tional defense, it is conceivable that Gen.
Macarthur might have used the express
sion attributed to him, in the way of
warning as to the necessity of being
prepared for apossible contingency. If
he used the language in such connec-
ton, the indiscretion and folly rests
with the officer who made such COM
munication public.
+ That German naval officers frequently
discuss the probabilities of war with the
United States, among themselves, is an
open secret. Emperor William himself,
in asking enlarged appropriations for his
navy, has broadly hinted and in un-
mistakable terms, that Germany must
have navy at least equal to that of
the United States.
The idea that there must come, war
with Germany has as its base the know1-
dge that the Monroe doctrine is Sc. .oas
ly distasteful to Germany. She feels the
need of naval coaling stations on this
side of the Atlantic. She would like to
have South America opened as a field
for German colonization, under the Ger
man flag. But SO long as the United
States is little better equipped than is
Germany for what would inevitably be
naval conflict, there is not the slight
est possibility of Germany challenging
this country to such a conflict. The
r1ss. is the strongest security that there
viii be no trouble with Germany. We
have no quarrel with her, and are not
likely to have one; while Germany will
seek no quarrel with us SO long as we
are abundantly prepared to defend our
selves
The facts cannot be blinked All mill
tary men appreciate them. They are en-
titled to discuss the situation among
themselves in privacy, but it is very
serious indiscretion to give quasi-offi-
cial publicity to such remarks as those
attributed to Gen. Macarthur, and the
responsible party should be promptly
called to account for it.
PRIVATE CONVERSATION PRIvI-
LEGGED.
The Tacoma Ledger says:
A few days ago General Macarthur
was quoted as having said there would
be war between the United States and
Germany. At once the department asked
him to explain. He stated that he had
made the remark in private conversation.
This is all the explanation that he could
give, all he could be required to give.
An officer of the United States army is
almost always a gentleman, and mingIes
with others of his kind. If there hap
pen to stray into earshot some Meddle-
some Matte who, has not the decency
to keep his mouth shut, the officer can
hardly be blamed for the dereliction of
the intruder An officer does not wholly
lose his individuality because he is an
officer He still has the right both to
the holding and the formulation of an
honest opinion. OF course it is his duty
to be discreet not only as to his con-
but as to the selection of con-
hdantes When mistake is committed
it is not mended by calling upon the Of
hcer to lie out of the predicament. The
best course is TO pass the incident over.
and let it be forgotten.
More recently General Merriam, re
tired, has had something to say about the
case of Wood He is reported to have de-
clared that the advancement of the doc
:or was an error, dangerous to the morale
Of the army. In all probability he did
say this. But what of it? There is not
another officer in the army, on the active
list. who would not have said the same
hing had he uttered his mind 1t is not
10 be supposed that the country is
pleased with the elevation OF General
Wood; it distinctly is not AS for the
attack on the personal character of the
DOCTOR, this has had no effect, for the
source of most of it was bad The fact
hat he was jumped over the heads of
hundreds of wo-thy superiors IS the one