The Washington herald., 1917-05-15
What Leading Newspapers
Say on the War Situation
War or Circusf

New YORK world)
With as much irresolution and levity
as Is witnessed in the sessions of the
Duma and the Council of workmen's
ana Soldiers Delegates at Petrograd. the
House at Washington, having rejected
Mr. Roosevelt's private army, at length
accepts it in principle.
by this action the Senate amendment
winch died in conference will become q
iaw' except as a veto may halt the enter
prise, but the disfavor OF the President
may be shown in other ways. The bill
SIMPLY authorizes the acceptance Of
personally conducted force such as Mr..
Roosevelt suggests. II as commander-in-
J chief President intent upon actual war
rails to avail himself of the invaluable
services Of this great undlsciplined army
with self-appointed officers and no ex-
lstence except upon paper, the creation
OF real fighting army viii not be much
longer delayed.
Nevertheless, two weeks of priceless
time have been lost in the .wrangles re-
sulting from Mr.. Roosevelt's refusal to
serve his country as other men must do,
and even now there is no assurance that
they army bill win, not be held up still
further In the interest of his mischievous
demands. All other Americans of mill
or II ambitious to be officers like him
self, must undergo intensive training and
instruction. With little experience by
nature msubordinate, always a sensa-
tional Snowman, and giving evidence
daily that he has no true understanding
of the situation at the front or of the
difficulties OF transport, Mr.. Roosevelt.
who condescends TO enlist as a major
general. talks lightly Of placing his
llPpiOng he tn "a,
If such thing were possible and to be
allowed. he and his followers would be
ruthlessly slaughtered and his country
humiliated.
On the very day that the House was
indulging in this fantastic performance,
turning into a miserable farce the most
serious business that the nation ever
faced, the President was solemnly warn
ing the American people of the sacrifices
and sufferings that surely await them.
We may easily imagine the glee with
which the machine-liIe German general
stan must contemplate its newest enemy
making ready for war with such Juvenile
faith in the methods OF the chorus or
the circus.
Whatever IL genuine in Mr.. Roosevelt
and his battalions ought to be used very
cheerfully and thankfully 10 strengthen
the army Of the United States soon to
be in preparation for service abroad. All
that is merely theatrical and boastful and
fraudulent in them can only hinder the
mighty work IN hand
No Reason for PessImIsm.
louisville Courier JournaL)
Washington estimates place the number
OF men eligible for military service. be-
tween the ages of 21 and 30, at 1907, 300.
Two drafts of 10000, contemplated,
would take one man in ten among those
between the minimum ages. An army
of 100000 would require one in five of
the number of men now eligible, but IL
the United States should form an army
of 100000 the third and fourth drafts
of 10000 would not be made before
another class OF young men would be-
come available by reason of increased
age.
When army making is undertaken in
America upon a businesslike basis: when
men are selected for serviceabiity and
trained as well as Germans are trained
Germany must realize that in dragging
the United States into war upon the
assumption that the military power of
this country could be ignored as a factor
IN the war, the Kaiser caught a Tar
tar. There is no reason to doubt that
Americans drafted under the new army
bill will be as good soldiers as those
trained in Germany. The United States
mas APPROXIMATELY SU,VOO,VOO more popu-
lation than Germany, and has agricuI-
tural resources. mineral resources, tim
Der resources and other resources which
can be made to provide a surplus in ad-
dition to feeding and otherwise providing
this country indefinitely.
Using Interned Germans.
CBaltinoCe AmsricanO
Just how Secretary OF Labor Wilson is
going to get efficient service out of 1SOO
nterued German sailors on a 5Oo-acre
farm is problem the humorous phases
OF which will cause mirthfulness in the
bosom of every practical farmer In this
farm-labor-short United States. A Mary
land farmer who could not run a 800
acre farm having only 2Co acres under
cultivation with six good farm hands
on the payroll would regard himself as
hopeless back number, fit only for the
strenuosities of one-acre farm.
There is no apparent reason why the
lnterned Germans who are willing to
work for good wages should not be paid
fairly and put to real and not ficticious
farm work. Not a 2oO-acre tillage but a
lOO.Ooo-acre tillage is the kind of ranch
to be utilized. Those 1900 men could be
used as the manpower for a 100. 600 acre
tillage. and they would not be over
worked-not worked as hard as the aver
age American farm hand. Many plows
and traction engines and the best Amer
lean farm machinery should be utilized
II the United States government has not
such tract Of land available, It could
be borrowed from Canada.
But large tillages can be found; thous-
and-acre farms can he obtained TO any
number desired. II is estimated that
many thousands of Germans will be sent
TO tnternment camps-the I sn0 to he sent
to the North Carolina club-farm is but
starter. This North Carolina farm,
which has only 200 acres arabic WILL not
grow enough to feed the 1900 farm hands.
Freight Embaroo Imnosed