The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-10
Vote the Man Power Needed and
Leave the Blundcrs to
the Historians.

the Historians.
Too much Importance can be at
tached just now in Congress and else
where to past changes of opinion and
attitude on the part Of the War De
partment with regard to the extern
sion of the draft.
1t may be that Secretary BAKER
and some Of those around him have
wabbled in their views of the specific
legislation required by the military
situation. 1t may be that the execu-
tive authorities believed as recently ms
July that no need existed for the pas
sage of such a measure Of extension
and preparation as that which they
act without delay. 1t may be that
the Secretary has convicted himself
Of inconsistency, even of singular
vacillation, in his ideas on the sub
ject of numerical requirements and
age limits. A searching investigation
by the Senate or House Military Com
mittee of statements and suggestions
coming from the Department of War
might result in more or less embar-
rassment to the Secretary personally.
II might have political value If the
main purrLse of politics ut this SUI
premely critical juncture in the ma
tionS enterprise was to discredit the
judgment of members of the Admin
istration and not to insure victory at
our battle front. Ii might even serve
To show that the Presidents preset
ence is not infallible; that he too is
capable of changing his mind; that
he uttered correct description of
:, svhls mental processes when he said of
himself so candidly half dozen
years ago: THE man who cannot
change his mind gives evidence of
profound ignorance. If your mind
doesn't change when the world
changes you are no longer in har-
mony with the world. I'm willing TO
leave things alone if you will guar
antee that | can go to bed and find
them the same in the morning"
But If the hearings on the pending
man power bill should prove all this
and II thousand times more; if they
should disclose in the War Depart.
ment or even in the White House Il
variation of judgment and trans
formation Of policy so marked as u
produce positive discomfort in Ger.
tain quarters If the exhibit should be
made of record, how in the name
Of plain ordinary patriotic common
sense Is the achievement going to ad
vance this country one millimeter to-
ward the one great goal Of Its efforts
the winning of the war?
Better leave these matters to the
future historians of the Wilson Adj
minlstration. If Secretary BAKE
was wrong formerly about the mum
her of American soldiers to put in
line now for the march by and by In
pursuit of the desperately retreating
Prussians, the acute and impartial
gentlemen whose function it Is tC
weigh evidence and analyze minds
HiI'l measures anu llOllNtS Will ut
tend to the Kaleidoscope features OF
his case when the proper time comes
If Secretary BAKER has changed from
wrong TO right regarding the lower
limit of the draft age, the thing OF
immediate interest is not that he was
mistaken n while ago, but that he
has corrected his mistake before go
Ing to Congress and asking for the
man power with which TO make Ger
tain the ene~ys defeat. Whatever
Castigat!on lie merits for forming
new conclusions under new condi
tlons-if castigat1on he deserves n
nll-will be administered in tn,
proper form ut the proper time II
the impartial pages of history.
The most urgent of national duties
nj present is the provision of a MAJ
power sufficient to render quickly de
clsive the American contribution tC
the common cause for which we are
fighting. II isn't a question Of poll
tics, Of personal responsibility FOL
past mistakes, but OF prompt ant
overwhelming advance to overwhelm
the Hun. In no other aspect should
Congress consider this bill.