Evening star., 1918-07-14

acted upon the nomination the Sec
retary created the war council, de-
and detailed him to duty in tie new
council. which now that its object Is
over is abolished
In this manner Gen Crozier was sep
arated from the department which he
had created The way in which IT
was done might give to some an I'M
preston that the confirmation of the
nomination was not expected when
1t was recommended and that Gen.
Crozier had not been an efficient Of
hcer Nothing could be further from
the facts. 1t is generally understood
that Gen. Crozier had the entire con-
ndence OF the Secretary OF War, and
his letter to Senator Weeks. pub-
nshed as matter of fair play by
the latter in the Congressional Rec
ord of July 2. presents a remarkable
array of facts in answer to some criti-
cism Of Gen Crozier for delay in pro-
curing small arms and ordnance.
The letter is worthy of careful
study 1t shows that the armies have
some two million military rifles of
most approved pattern made in guam
tity production at a cost that has
saved the government more than S22.-
o0G, 900; that the Army has some
twenty thousand Lewis guns and
that the Browning machine guns are
more than two months ahead Of the
program. The French have carried
out their undertaking to supply ma
chine guns and artillery to the United
States Army until the time came that
American production. had been con-
verted into ordnance production. and
it Is almost here.
This was the price the nation paid
for neglecting the policy of George
Washington, for the government had
with the unqualified indorsement of
fho Of Low time
of peace to prepare for war.
X X
G URGEoN GENERAL GoRGAS had
~ one of the biggest jobs of the
nized ability. would hardly have
achieved the great things already
done without the loyal support that
his integrity and capacity have won
from his fellow Army medical officers
and-the mighty body of the medical
men of the land who are one with
him to protect the lives and health
of the men of the camps here and
abroad.
Recent legislation. largely due to
Senator MacKellar. giving increased
rank TO imedical onfcerS poth IN the
line and the reserve, has strength
ened the surgeon generals powers
and will enable his Office to accom-
plish more than ever before. Word
from abroad of the hospital arrange
ments for the care of the sick-even
more needed than for the wounded
of the ample provision for giving the
best in the world to those who are
!. falling wounded in the fighting that
is going on, of betterment of condi-
tions in camps and cantonments is
only summary of the accomplish
ment of what the department has
been for the past fifteen months
straining every nerve to obtain and
The creation. in all favorable parts
of the country of such institutions
as the new military orthopedic hos
pital in Boston, the preparations for
the reconstruction of the wounded
and the rehabilitation of those
stricken with such diseases as tu-
berculosis, all rebound to the honor
of the great physician body of the
United States, of which none is held
in higher public esteem than Surgeon
General Gorgas 1t is easy to UNDER
stand why the implication of Secre-
tary of War Baker, that tie sue
cessor to Gen. Gorgas uaon re- en-
ing the age of retirement re-; Q o