Evening star., 1915-05-23

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N IN W of Connecticut went through
\V\V the United States there was
" " temporary end to all pa
thence, to all calculations of prudence
There was an end to everything except
blind passion The United States was
not patient nation. hut no nation.
however patient. could have remained
so At such a time. No man. however
deeply admired could have counseied
wisdom then. No interests. however
great. could have controlled.
All the knowledge that had gone TO
the public about the utter unreadiness
of the freshly enlisted volunteers TO
take the firing line. all the informa-
ton that had been given to the people
about the condition of their army: all
the proofs that the foe had given with
blood and fire of his immense superior
ity-all these were as nothing. That
the army, if it fought now. must be de-
stroyed, was as nothing. The cry was
that the army must fight
Trusted leaders pointed in vain to the
history of the United states to prove
THAT whenever its raw forces had hur
ried into battle in obedience to popu-
lar demand the result had been only TO
hurry disaster. In vain they pointed
tolls paid by both sides without mill
tary advantage 10 either.
Men would not listen. They would
not reason. They hated those who re-
mained cool enough to reason. 1t was
the human equation that at some time
or another defies all the combinations
of mans intelligence.
No administration. however deter
mined could have ignored il. Secretly.
a special train was made ready IN
Washington. secretly. in the night.
the President OF the United states win
his advisers and StaH boarded IL ana
we're taken northWard.
No dispatches went ahead of II. eX-
cept railroad orders to clear tracks'
Alter passing Baltimore It went by
way OF Harrisburg and wilkes Barre,
avoiding Philadelphia and the city OF
New y ork. Through the SAD. olach
IRON and coal country OF Pennsylvania
II passed to the New York state line
without welcome anywhere
I'VE might be fugitives, SAID the
President looking out with sleepless
eyes
AT jefferson Junction an armored
train with machine guns and three
inch rifle slid in ahead OF them iro1n
a siding where it had been waiting.
An officer entered the Presidents tram
and requested tndt all SnducS uc hcPe
down Thus, furtively, the natoh
ruler entered Albany.
Army headquarters had been a tar
get like the White House, Tor mes
sages that had shaken those to whom
they were addressed More than once
The commanding general had felt tnat
II was more tnan human men could
bear More than once, IN councl. ON
GERS. infuriated by the velled accusa-
tions of coWardice in the dispatches,
OF giving the army
the fatal order to go into acton.
The President, when he looked at the
generals deeply lined features. knew
chat the old soldier had more TO gain
from a battle. however disastrous, than
from life If he does not interpose
between the invader and New 1orK
city" thought the chief magistrate
he will live only to see his name
blasted There will be a thousand tao
ticians in future years. who VIII as
sert that he was blunder, If not
traitor.
The country demands a battle! l
know" The soldier laid before the
President a sheaf of papers some
reports, sir, bearing on the matter
The first sheet was report from bril-
gade headquarters. Twenty batteries
OF 5.I-inch artillery moved westward
through New Haven last night. II
said. Our spy reports that these guns
appear to be of the type that is known
10 have a range OF seven miles lar
outranging our field guns. Accom-
panied by heavy conveys of shrapnel
and explosive shell.
They are bringing up heavier guns
STILL" said the general. selecting an
other report Between New LONDON
and Saybrook junction fat cars were
seen with 1l02-inch howitzers, which.
We presume. must be the type tnat
throws 760-pound proJectiie we
have nothing near that type IN our ar
tIIlery to oppose them AS they nave
a range OF LOCO yards. they can oe
placed wherever II may please 'he
enemy and we might as we'll bomoard
them with roman candles as win our
guns
The President. without replying
picked up a third report. 1t was from
a jor of the Medical Corps. and ran.
"A considerable proportion OF militia
infantry still suffer severely from
blistered feet after only few miles
of march over rough country. More
men are being disabled from ill-fttins
shoes and unsuitable socks threao anu
cottonJ than from all other causes com
bined Habit of prophylactic care OF
the feet almost wholly lacking. Few
regimental or infirmary supplies IN
ciude foot powder.
IF you take men from their once
chairs or from seats by the side OF
machines in shops. growled one OF the
staff you can't expect them to nike
the same dag. Men who insist on Nv
ing near trolley cars. which is great
American habit. must expect to get
sore feet after walking three miles
In fifty mile march. sir. this army
in it's present condition will lose 10
per cent of its militia strength from
strag ggiing and falling out
But they have improved greatly.
have they mott" asked the President.
some of them. answered the gen
eral notably the New York, Massachu-
setts and Pennsylvania troops, are ex-
ceIlent and can go into battle with the
regulars at any time. But he
turned to an artillery officer. will
you tell the President yesterdays held
artillery practice:
We sent fve unframed batteries TO
an Indicated position" said the officer
They had practiced only about half
dozen times in the last year, and then
they had merely drilled in the motions
of handling their pieces, as their
armories were equipped neither Tor
mounted drill or subcaliber pactice.
When they reached the positions that
they were TO hold they had lost the
locations of their own side. and within
half an hour they were blazing into
IA1r trfa