Evening journal., 1918-05-25
WAS 1T THE RIGHT THING TO DO?


" utmost bring about the reelection Of United States
Senator Willard Salisbury IS the Dover state News From
time TO time cites for his re-elasiion that
through his influence IN Washington that the First
Infantry Regiment Organized Militia OF Delaware
kept Intact as Regiment in the face " the pro-
tests OF the War Department. In the State News this
week we find the following editorial which shows how
sssduously the old First Delaware Is belns used as a
| political asset
The parents and relatives Of Delaware soldier boys
have indeed TO be grateful 90 Senator Willard
Salisbury Not only did he succeed IN having the Della
ware Regiment kept intact as unit, thereby sending
Delaware soldiers TO France under the proud name OF their
native state, but he has introduced amendment In the
Senate 90 the posto1lce appropriation bill which ~ 1t be-
comes law VII permit Inc families OF soIoefs ana
Forces to forward to them package each month, not
20 exceed th-ee pounds Senator Salisbury has demon
sraed time and time again that he has the welfare Of our
soldier boys at heart and that he will leave nothing un-
done 60 add TO their comfort Would II not be wise TO
keep Senator Salisbury at Washington as long as our
boys fighting European soil? There may come
time when Delaware parents WIN be thankful that they
have him there.
We know It Is not right or patriotic for the sup
poriers Senator Salisbury to make per-
sonal campaign card out Of the Delaware Pioneer Reg
ment. We also know that the relatives and friends Of
those soldiers recent The attempt that Is being made 10
do So
II Is not however, purpose discuss that phase
Of the matter The attempt to the regiment against
the political opponents OF Senator Salisbury rather than
sEans The and TO have It's members and their
relatives and friends man the salisbury trenches Della
ware rather than the Allies trenches In France and
Flanders win bring suitable at the polls later
this year.
We do not care to discuss that phase Of H. but
Of casualty list shOwings In Europe portions Of the
front where localized units used to raise the ques
tions whether Il TO keep the Delaware regiment
intact instead OF distributing It's members among various
commands
Our position IN the matter Is such chat have right
ltsa-. a.
Ing the regiment intact fighting unit swept
State as result Of the Admission Incidents ali the Della
ware newspapers and the people OF Delaware generally
swept of their feet by It and Senator Saulsbury's
action In Washington Influenced by H. The
papers and The general public moved by State pride
Senator Salisbury in the agent to popularze
himself and he used H. As a result the regiment
kept intact Subsequently II was sent TO Camp Dix.
Since them however, events have occurred the other
side OF the water that shown The distressing local
effect Of having localized units the battle 'front.' Most
Deawareans readihe casualty lists They must have
ced that during the last German drive unit composed
largely from men from Fon du Lac, Wisconsin, was
caught In jam and that Fon du tsc" followed most OF
The names the casualty list for that sector And sgsin
a Chicago unit was caught and with It Connecticut
unit The recurrence of Chicago" and Connecticut
the list was distressing TO all readers
Delaware is a small state. 1t is only iO3 miles long.
It's average width Is approximately seventeen miles There
tend oyer the State like great tangled social sken.
man from Wilmington feels at home in nsDelmsr. A man
from Dslmsr feels ~ lsms m wilmnson TO use scoms
expresslen Everybody In Delaware knows everybody
else IN Delaware In the broad that Is largely
rect.
Wen from that clrcumscrbed area and from people
so composed more than 1000 Of our States best young
men form the Delaware Pioneer Regiment. Those
young men, taken from the flower Of State proud
Of their regiment The people proud Of them in
dlvidusls and Of It as organization.
And yet, since those Fon du Lac Chicago and Con-
nectlcut casualty lists have out many thoughtful
Delawareans who give way 20 In admiration and
9ove nor those ne upsandng and brave Delaware boys
seriously question The wisdom Of keeping them
single unit. They with their minds eye the effect
whc would be produced In Stale should that unit
following It's entry into service, be caught
those other localized units were caught
We have no suggestion 10 make in the matter We
merely set forth the facts and the sinister possibilities
which attend them feeling that the situation which
exists viii work out lts solution.
As for ourselves, while advocated that situation
months ago, frank to confess after reading those
localized unit casually lists. that sure now
ny any Of means that did not make mistake
We rather would say that now than TO do II after those
sinister possibilities have become hsart-breaklng act
usbtles Il such should be result Of that keep-then
together policy.
AS we view K. the situation which should COM
mand at this time, the attention Of all thinking
Delsweresns.