New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-01-18
SECRETARY BAKER
RIVALS ARTEMUS
WARD AS HUMORIST
AFTER NEARLY IL MONTHS
OF WAR HE CALMLY AN.
NOUNCES FRANCE AND
ENGLAND WILL REPULSE
GERMANY'S ATTACK
By THEODORE ROOSEVELT

City Star. Reprinted by special per-
! mission.
The great American humorist, Ar
temus Ward, whose writings gave
such delight to Abraham Lincoln,
once remarked that he was willing
to sacrifice all his wife's relatives
on the altar of the country. Mr..
Ward was not in president Lincoln's
cabinet Mr.. Baker is in president
! Wilson's cabinet. He takes substan-
TALLY the same ground Artemus Ward
took. Although. possibly with more
unconscious humor, he has just ut
tered a heroic sentiment expressing
his pleased acquiescence in the sa-
crifice of France and England's arm
les for the defence of the common
cause.
On Wednesday last, discussing the
likelihood that the Germans, relieved
from anxiety of Russia, would make
a tremendous assault on the western
front, Mr.. Baker said;
"The impending German offensive
will possibly be their greatest as
sault. The French and British arm
les can be relied upon to withstand
the shock"
Office Most Important
Mr. Baker is president Wilson's
secretary Of war; he holds at this
time the most important office in
our government He thus announces
to our allies and the world that in
the twelfth month after Germany
went to war with us, America, the
richest country of the world, with 4
population of 100O000OO people, after
being at war nearly year and after
such warning as never a nation had
before, is wholly unable to send any
effective assistance to repel sthe
greatest assault of the war and that
the only military measure which can
be taken is to express, through Mr..
Baker, the belief that the British
and French armies can be relied up
on to do alone the duty which we
ought to share with them.
Preparedness Curious Indeed
This statement of Mr.. Baker alb
solves IFS from all necessity of COM
mcnting on his ingenious defence OF
a system of preparedness" which
leaves our small army at the front
with no artillery except what we get
from the French and our army at
home with batteries made out Of
telegraph poles and logwood. 1t is
not necessary to discuss the exact
amount of pride we should as a ma
tion, take in the fact that as nation,
after II months OF war, we are proud
ly emerging from the broomstick
rifle stage of preparedness into the
telegraph pole stage of preparedness.
Mr.. Bakers statement sums up the
situation exactly. We have been at
war nearly year and when the Ger
mans make their greatest assault our
preparedness is only such as to war
rant our expressing belief that our
allies can win without our help.
Staunch Supporter Critises
The New York Times, support
ei of the administration, comments,
though, truthfully upon the situation.
Nine months after entering the war
not only are we giving our allies
no effective military aid but all our
bus,le and stir doesn't hide the fact
that through incompetence and lack
of organization and system, we are
far behind in our preparations to
supply rifles, ammunition. machine
guns airships, uniforms and other
clothing for the troops we shall some
time have at the front Our Backward
ness is naturally disquieting to our all
lies. If 100000 American soldiers
or half that number. fully equipped.
had stood on the soil of France,
Lloyd George would have made no
speech to British workingmen rest
ating. after a fashion. the war aims
VI the allies. There would have been
no occasion nor demand for speech
telling the labor unions what British
troops are fighting for"
The pacifistS and the agencies of
German intrigue would not be work
ing for a peace in the interest of the
ca oitaliStic and militaristic autonomy
OF Germany. AS the New York Times
we'll SAYS, the man who works for
such a peace while Germany is un-
conquered IS the most heratless of
or enemies of the worlds
peace and freedom"