The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-02-03
The Spectator
FOG

FOG.
Silently, stealthily, the ghostly fog
the city. Before its onslaught tall
buildings are obliterated, vehicles are
shrouded in mist, with only the blear-
eyed motor cars visible in the gray
line of traffic. An incessant blair
ing of horns and jangling of bells.
! marks collision between two
shadowy buses, while the more eau
tlous drive slowly over the slippery
pavements.
fortunate enough to enter the barred
zone, guarded by the watchful eye
of American soldiers, eyes undimmed
| by fog, the transformation of the
city Is even more impressive. Great
yelled ships ride easily, undisturbed
| by the elements, while the lesser har-
Dor craft, lost in the blanket of mist,
rush noisly about. hither and yon.
| ked and green lights shine dimly
through the fog. while the yellow
| splotches across the slip, and the
creaking winches, betray the unload
| ing of a lately-arrived fish schooner.
MR.. BAKER.
| With Investigations, charges, and
| counter-charges flying thick and
! fast at Washington, some of US are
| likely to lose sight of true facts and
become COMPOUNDED in a maze of con-
tention, which leads nowhere.
| There is concerted effort being
| made by a certain element to Gust
Secretary Baker from his position as
| head of the War Department, and it
| would seem by a careful examination
that the assertions brought to sus
| tain the attack on this official do not
warrant such drastic action.
Secrsta<y Baker has admittedly
made mistakes. and many of them,
and unless he has attained super
human infallibility. he will make
more. But he has done we'll We
have more and better equipped men
in the field or in training than Eng
land had at the corresponding period
of the war. 1t is unfortunate that
Mr. Baker should boast of his
achievement. 1t is not the time for
exultation, much less self-praise. and
modesty is always becoming, particu-
larlv in a public official.
But that is a personal matter. ana
should not be allowed to bias our es-
innate of his accomplishment.
Perhaps the most serious charge
brought against the secretary for
failure to obtain proper equipment
for the men in training. lack of
: clothing and the consequent deaths
from disease. Statistics, like scrip
lures, can be cited TO prove almost
anything yet this does not impair
the soundness of official information
concerning health conditions in train
! ing CAMPS.
| According to these figures the
death rate in American environments
is much lower than the d~ath rate
? among an equal number of civilians
: Some may attribute this to the eX-
Cellent physical condition 'f the mer
in training. and while it is not to be
denied that this has some influence
similar condit ons apparently had nc
, effect in the Spanish American epi-
sode. or in the training camps of oul
allies
We are but at the beginning of q
great task which we must see
= through to the end Time and cir
cumstances will undoubtedly bring
about changes in officials, and un-
: less they can orient themselves tc
new conditions they must go. i
would be as fatal to summarilv dis
= miss a good man, as it would be tc
maintain an incompetent one in of
flee. Neither step should be taker
w thout serious elaboration, int
which partisan politics should not bt
g, allowed to enter. Personalities anC
, expectancy cannot be considered
Years from now individuals will have
| passed but the principles for whic!
we fight are eternal To win tn:
war s the first and essential consid
Grafton.