The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-12-06
A Gathering of the Great
By Frederick J. Eiaskin

WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dec. 3. -During
the early days of the Civil War, when
the Union Army was being organized
here, a local paper solemnIy printed the
news that a boy throwing a stone at d
dog on Pennsylvania avenue had hit
three brigadier generals.
Washington, which was then really
nothing but country town with the
capital somewhat anonymously su-
perimposed upon its provincial quiet
ude, had never seen such a gathering
of military and political talent as the
great crisis brought together. But the
change which came over the ante bel
lum capital of siXty-one was nothing to
that which has been wrought in the
past year. If that same urchin could
cast his missile today and hit nothing
more than few brigadier generals, l.
would be poor day Cor notables He
ought, at the very least, to Dag two or
three titled commissioners from foreign
countries, couple of admirals, with
perhaps an American Millionaire and a
famous writer thrown in for variety
For the mighty Of the earth have
hocked to Washington since the war
was declared in way that has made it
a veritable museum Of greatness. Of
course there are the foreign missions,
to begin with, who have come for the
most part on financial business connect
ed with our foreign loans. These
emissaries of international cooperation
have added a touch Of variety to tire
Washington scene with their strange
uniforms, have made some excellent
speeches and given the society edi' ors
of the local papers some difficult stunts
in spelling but numerically they are
nothing TO the array of native talent
which has gathered here from all parts
of the country. 1t has been a favorite
plant with critics of our system of GOV
eminent that it does not bring to It's
service the really first class brains Of
the nation. Congress, we have often
been told, is merely gathering Of
mediocrlties-of lawyers who didn't
make good at the law--though so well
qualified an observer as Uncle Joe"
Cannon Of Illinois has testified to the
contrary that success as a congressman
demands unusual qualifications. In
general, however, those who hold that
the men Of greatest ability prefer bust
ness to politics seem to have won the
argument. The organization OF each
succeeding administration has brought
forth the lament that men Of larger
caliber' could not be found for the
cabinet portfolios and other positions
upon which the destinies Of the nation
largely depend.
Whatever Of truth there may have
been ia this contention in the past, it
has certainly lost all force now. Every
variety Of talent. genius and distinction
in the country has offered it's services
to the government. Each new COM
mittee, commission and board that has
been organized for war work has had
an embarrassment of riches IN the way
of proven ability from which to choose.
The small salaries paid by the govern
ment, which have often been referred
to as one of the reasons why men OF
capacity would not enter politics, ap-
parently have no influence is the mat
ter. Millionnalrs working for dollar a
year, or some other nominal sum, are
with US literally in crowds, and many
of them sit at unimportant desks,
When the Second Liberty Loan was be-
ing sold, 81 committee weuv about the
gove~nment departments soliciting sub.
scriptions from all of the employees. A