Evening journal., 1917-04-21
WHAT'S THE MATTER

WHAT'S THE MATTER
WITH NEWARK?
From the Newark Post.
What is the matter with Newark?
Apparently enveloped in a benumb-
ing indifference, she sits calmly by.
while the neighboring towns 20 hur-
rying on, in an attempt to adjust
themselves to the national crisis.
War with Germany has been de-
clared. and Newark's new modern
armory stands, quiet and deserted.
through seven days and six nights
OF each week. With a call for enlist
ment, and a population including
more young men than are to be found
in any town Of equal size in the
| State, FOUR have presented them
selves at the armory as candidates
for the physical examination prepare
tory to enlistment. In response to the
call from Governor Townsend, pub
lished in local papers, for the forma-
/ ton OF Home Guard, made up of
men between 45 and 55, who are sub
! ject to call only when their homes are
I'm danger, there have been practic-
ally no action. During the last week
!
men urged to report TO the armorv
to discuss the question. On the first
evening ]. p. Armstrong and L. X.
Bowen reported; on the second even
ing ]. p. Armstrong and J. A. Nc.
Kelvey.
Again we ask, what is the matter?
Is Newark suffering from the picture
which a writer in a recent issue Of
Golfers magazine describes: that of
one lone gray-haired farmer with a
drum, a bloody rag around his head.
his son with fife, his grandson with
drum, chasing single-handed the
British army from our continent?
Are we living under the deusion
that our future is bound to be a sue
cession of 'star-spangled victories"7
Too many OF us have failed to recog-
nize that war with any country is
war, but that war with Germany IS
WAR; battle Of science, brain,
SKILL and efficiency which extends to
the most commonplace duty Of life.
Dover Town Council has formed an
Emergency Committee; they have
taken an agricultural census OF the
county and are planning to get all
idle land under cultivation. Seaford,
Laurel and Delaware City, towns
without armories, have asked special
permission to use other buildings as
substitutes and organize home guards.
Middletown has formed a Red Cross
Chapter; Elkton is swelling the Ma
tional Guard with re-enlistments.
All the neighboring states are like
wise at work. The strongest organiz-
alton of Home Guard to date is in
Connecticut. In the college town Of
New Haven the Home Guard recently
organized includes practically all of
the college professors. Hon. W. H.
Taft, ex-president Of the United
States. has Joined the company, pledg-
ing himself to report to the armory
for drill three nights a week Ac-
cording to the rules Of the War De-
partment all Home Guard, which cor
respond to the Organized Militia pre-
vious to the law Of last June, will be
discharged Immediately upon the de-
claration OF peace.
Are we not a part Of America and
shall we not share in these things?
DIR. WAGNER TO RESIGN.
. From the Dover State News.
The report that DR.. Charles A.
, Wagner. State Commissioner Of Edu-
cation is to resign this Office to ac-
cept the Office of superintendent OF
the Chester public schools came as
great surprise and disappointment
to DR. Wagner's many friends in this
part of the State. DR.. Wagner has
done much to raise the standard Of
| the schools of Delaware during the
= four years he has served as State
Commissioner OF Education, and 1t
had been hoped that he would con-
tinue to serve in that Office for some
years to come.
Ever since assuming his post at the
head of the Delaware schools Dr.
, Wagner has been "live wire," and
he has succeeded in instilling new
+, life into a school system that was
undoubtedly in a deep rut. He has
. inaugurated many new plans for
: bringing the schools of this State to
the front, on a basis of efficiency, and
> the good results of his work during
the four years will be evident long
after he has left Delaware.
/, We congratulate Chester upon its
good fortune and express the hope
that his successor in Delaware will
, prove just as efficient and capable a
Commissioner Of Education.