Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-05
IT'S TIME FOR CHANGES.

That conditions in the departments
at Washington are not satisfactory Is
evident 10 all who read the reports
from the senate committee and sti!l
more evident 10 those who have other
sources OF information close to the war
activities and those who have con-
trolled them.
That the present state Of war is
more favorable to Germany than 10 the
entente nations and ourselves is recog-
nizcd at Washington. Those close to
the real facts and conditions assert
that peace made in 1918 must he
compromise that would De virtually a
German victory and so considered By
the central powers.
1t is UP TO the United States. Franco
has reached her limit. England is
strong and will be able to continue
strong for some months but Russia IS
out Of 1t and nothing in the way OF
assistance in a real fashion need be
expected Of Russia On the contrary
she IS certain 10 remain an enbarra IS
inert at best and a serious danger at
worst. Italy is fighting hard against
foes without and traitors within. Ger
many aside from metal scarcity and
scarcity OF ANNA! Fats IS said TO be az
i'm
other European nation involved in the
war. The conclusion is that Germany
nus De worn down: that she ran not
be over run or overwhelmed in mHl-
-s-y fashion. I. she Is 10 De whipped
70 acceptance Of peace terms that VIII
h satisfactory to the rest ot the world
:. must De by protracted, economic
siege.
Delay On III. part OF the United
States means compromise peace that
from our standpoint and the standpoint
ana Interests Of our allies is equiv
ALERT 10 defeat That there mas teen
delay ie beyond question. We have
nor ocompl!shed more than one-t!nrd
0. the program We had SCI for snip
building And the T-boats have Kept
I'D their toll. Great Britain is in TIE
same condition with about one-tnird OF
the ships which she had calculated to
supply U-boat losses. Food IS an alb
solute necessity to the allies and es-
pec.ally 10 France. Soldiers are neces-
sary to hold the lines against German
advances and our armies lack equip
ment thru delays.
The situation calls for a change.
First there should be sweeping caoi1et
changes The cabinet is not strong.
! Baker, gv0d man AMI al :aesiis.
lacks the faculty Of organization. The
war office needs great organizer. The
administration needs the strongest
| advisers. The thing that should be
done Is to establish war board, such
as England came TO after muddling a
desperate situation for months and give
it superior powers. Cocktails and
Hoover would be two men naturally to
be earliest considered for a Job like
| that. Then there is General Wood
| whose capacity for organization was
fully displayed in Cuba and who is
! considered abroad as the leadingAmer-
lean soldier. Theodore Roosevelt should
be brought to Washington. He you'd
make an extraordinarily efficient war
secretary in connection with such a
war board for Roosevelt has the lead
ership and the organizing power AND
the intensity that Baker lacks. Rex
tape never held him. He is an &C
ccmplisher and the crying need Of thi.
country is accomplishment.
Loose Tipped suggestions of bad faitl
on the part of the administration ant
foolish defence OF administrative de-
lays and mistakes are equally to b.
set aside as idle and out Of place. w
have come to the cruz Of this M.