The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-21
Lessons Of Two Wars.

Chauncey NJ. Depew in Leslie's
Weekly: was in England at the
time of the declaration of war with
Germany. There was general expec.
tationF that Mr.. Haldane. who had or.
ganized the territorials, then the only
available volunteer body to aid the
small standing army, would be the
war minister. The campaign OF GER
tain newspapers to driN, Haldane out
and put Kitchener in rs the one and
only man supremacy fitted was one
of the most brilliant and effective ef-
forts I have ever known Now the
same newspapers have made an at
tack so fierce on Kitchener that,
which the confidence of the country
in him has been only partially disturb
ed the government has been revolu-
tionized and the opposition invited to
share the management of the war
The same sort of attack in the civil
war did not destroy the confidence of
the people in Lincoln. but Generals
Pope, Hooker and Mcclellan had to
go.
There was a memorable exception
to the popularity OF Lincoln In 1853
the peace advocates were becoming
so powerful that Mr.. Lincoln's renomi-
nation and reelected If nominated,
we're dorf5tfuI. The series of remark
able victories by General Grant dur
ing the summer of that year defeated
the Toece people, reelected Lincoln
and ended the war at Appomattox But
for those victories the cry the war
is a failure" would have swept the
north. The confederacy would have
been recognized and the union dis
solved. Our civil war and this fright
full. savage and all embracing Euro
pean conflict both bring to the front
the handicaps of democracy in war
with the concentrated authority Of
autocracy. The north in our civil war
was democracy divided in bitter
partisa nship and with the largest lib
erty of the press and OF speech. Slav-
erv had given over the government of
the south to an oligarchy OF about
300 600 men. who. in terror of injury
to the system uDon which were based
their property and prosperity. gave
absolute power to a few highly train
ed and able leaders. They controlled
( the schools and the newspapers. They
( taught the generation which went into
rebellion both its righteousness and
necessity
When these leaders decided to re-
volt they could rely upon the I'M
questioning loyalty OF their people.
Their organization was perfect. Their
armies were drilled. officered and
commanded by the skilled graduates
OF the military academy. 4 Horace
Greeley in revolt or criticism could
not live under their system and there
were no such Independent and hostile
critics The result was that with in,
mite 1nferiorttv in men. resources.
cash and credit they almost succeed
100 The northern democracy, on the
other hand, lest in the first two years
OF the war fearful waste of men and
materials from divided councils con-
ndence in unframed armies. unedu.
, cated leaders and inefficiency.
l Germany began this war with Tho
: most wonderful military organization
= OIL al the centuries, supported nv a
: people trained to arms. educated IN
: yield enthusiastic support to their en-.
:, peror and his general staff. An army
l. Oh million men can draw UNION a
!. possible 1900 600, who are trafned
l. their depots for report designataJ
3 their equipment ready. their org.n,za
0 ton automatic and transno-tatjnr
lproVloed Vn the state railways So