Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-21
With Other Editors
Wanted: A Compromise.


There is at the present time an antagorism be-
tween two policies OF war preparation. Conserva-
tives attempting to force the government to go
slow in preparation and in fighting in ordex
that everything that is done will be done in the best
possible manner. On the other hand, men OF DIFF
ferent type attempting have the fighting pro-
gram carried out with great speed, even at sacri-
flee of quality.
The necessity for adopting real policy in our
program is brought home by the speeches Of
British statesmen last week. In the house Of COM
three British leaders spoke with the greatest
praise of America and her program, calling at
tention to the remarkable gains have made and
the great aid which we shall be in a position to give
within a few months. But in these same addresses
it brought out that the great time Of trial for
England and France is already here It is not three
four months ahead of us-it is here right now
America entered the war in different way from.
England and France and Italy and Belgium. When
declared on Germany a year ago this month
knew that there danger Of Germany in
vading continental territories. We knew that
own lands We're safe. We knew that even with
the greatest possible military success u Europe
Germany could not expect to get hers within
several years time. And largely because of those
conditions allowed ourselves to drift into gait
which rapid enough to protect our own selfish
interests but which not fast enough to protect
the immediate interests of our allies
The Americans have made wonderful progress In
various Hnes-but it seems apparent that COM
promise must be reached and reached soon between
the speedatanycost enthusiasts the perfection
at-any-cost enthusiasts.
General Leonard Wood is not far from the cor
rect posts&on when he the nation that we must
incur the risk of defeat through the delay in
volved in attempt to attain perfection in the war
policies attempt to materialize.
America needs the greatest possible perfection in
our arplanes, our ships our rifles our cannon. our
soldiers clothes, our soldiers training our military
officers our rail transportation but America must
realize that she is also racing against time Foolish
economics cannot be allowed to interfere with pro-
duction in any factory-when production 10 the one
big thing that must be materialized. Neither can
foolish delays be allowed to interfere with the pro-
ducton of our war machinery and our war pro-
gram when the most vital thing we need now and
the future is fighting Organization that can
fight and fight quickly.
we nave no selnsn interests 10 serve said Pres
ident Wilson-and with this expression he told
much. However, If America spends so much time on
perfecting every little thing in her war program
that she sacrifices too much time at a period in the
which represents crisis shall discover
that while we had no selfish interests to serve we
failed support those interests of our allies to
the greatest possible degree.
America needs balance in her war work-a bal
ance which will allow solid work similar to that
for which the Brtons have long been noted. A com
promise between the policy which emphasizes speed
and the policy which emphasizes doing everything
in the best possible must be adopted If
America is to get her forces into the fighting at
the time when they are most needed.
Time is big factor in the war equation-Just
as big factor perfection. France knows this
much better than ever know tt-and France
is even now begging America to every effort
to increase her speed.-Peoria Journal.