The Washington herald., 1917-12-29

To repeat what several members
Of Congress said yesterday about
William Gibbs McAdoo, the most
''ponderous railroad magnate" this
nation has ever seen, We would say
that his most visible quality and
the one by which he attains his
ends Is his ability to secure the CO.
operation OF great masses of peo-
pie.
This IL the sign Of true leader
ship. 1t Is the quality that giants
have possessed since the world be-
gan and we are quite safe in say
ing that giants will have to possess
1t to the end of time, IL they wish
to maintain their positions as men
Of great capacity and enormous
achievements.
William Gibbs McAdoo initiated
his control of American roads yes
terday with the best wishes of 10O,-
100000 people behind him. He will
have the earnest cooperation of
these people behind him throughout
the trial of his leadership. This
means that he will secure for his
plans the support of all patriots
both patrons and the employees of
the railroads. Both must give and
take. perhaps. during the trial, but
both. we are quite sure. will be
willing to do so for the good of. the
nation.
Statements of some military in
vestigators of the Senate appear to
warrant the belief that General
Pershing's order allowing our men
in France to partake mildly of
beer and light wines will be ex-
planned, before a wet-and-dry fight
is made Of It in Congress.
This is wisdom. 1t is to be hoped
that the explanation will be lucid
enough SO that all patriots can read
1t. and so that those who feel now
like criticising General Pershing
for his action will see that he used
the utmost discretion.
1t was made known at the capitol
yesterday that the men who were re-
sponsible for sending Pershing to the
front to command our men-and who,
by that action. made known their
splendid confidence in his Judgment
and his patriotism-have not lost that
confidence by reason of this order.
1t is the hope OF men Interested In
the success OF our arms abroad that
this order will be explained, and the
explanation accepted before a bitter
fight is initiated in Congress.
Several very definite conclusions
have been reached by the Military
Committee of the Senate in its in
vestigations Of our war preparations.
One Of them Is, apparently. that the
system by which our environments and
National Guard camps were erected
could have been vastly improved upon,
and with a distinct saving to the
Treasury.
The full subject has not been delyed
into, but the belief Of some Of the
committeeman is that thes system
made for utter profiigacy in the mat
ter OF expenditures and the expert
ment-ff that Is what It was-cost
Uncle Sam much more money than it
should have.
The disclosure will not give pleasure
to those loyal thousands and hundreds
Of thousands over the nation who
have been combing their yicinities IN
search Of liberty loan subscriptions,
and who have been otherwise aiding
in the great campaigns of raising
money to run the war.
But that Is gone now. We must
look to the future-and so must the
men who have in charge the spend
ing OF these vast sums Of money.
The disclosures will be of benefit to
the nation, certainly, for II win focus
the eyes Of the nation upon this de-
partment. and will make all men, who
have to do with making contracts and
spending money. extraordinarily care
ful In what they do and how they do
II In this respect the disclosure may
yet save many more times the amount
of money that has already been
wasted. -..
There are vast differences in some
respects, between the Russian and
Mexican character. But there are
lines along which the activities Of
Russians and Mexicans coincide to a
most remarkable degree. :
Each country has its governmental
problem which promises not to be def
nitely settled until the great world
war itself is over. And, because neith-
er country is not now vitality con-
cerned in that war, there 10 danger
that neither country VIII find its
bearings, even when the other ma
tons have laid down their arms.
This, then. makes Il certain that
both countries win have their prob
lens to deal with long after the pres
ent war-and that the process Of deal
ing with them may be 30 distinctly