The Washington herald., 1918-01-19
In for Il.

The country is behaving admirably. 1t is steel
ed to the war spirit. 1t says to DR.. Garfield:
Every well; we think you're making an epic
blunder but we submit. Now go ahead. show US
that your powerful drug will effect cure MAKE
GOOD"
1t is obvious that the huge economic loss the
Fuel Administration is nflicting the country is
enough to try the temper of the people in any
event; but if that loss is endured without any COM
pensating gain-if at the end of this most remark
able of all Federal experiments railroad congestion
remains to torment us-then the whole CHASTITY
episode will be confession of American incom-
-petence that will be shattering in its effect on
Washington
Unfortunately, we still have doubts about
whether the Garfield cure-al is anything than
rank empiricism and quackery. We hope that it
is not 1t is something which, at best will forever
remain a Don te-tilting with h-windmills incl
dent in American political history When the
tumult is over DIR. Garfield probably will go back
to his pleasant seat in the Berkshires and wonder
what imp persuaded him to take flyer in coal
On the other hand, if he is successful, he will be
renowned as the only college president that ever
sent American industry Niagara Falls in
barrel and smilingly fshed it out of the rapids,
unscathed-
The first day of the dspensation passed
quietly. Thousands upon thousands of kilograms
of protest deuged Washington, and were promptly
buried The Senatorial Crouch" was held in leash;
at least, there was virulent outbreak of it. Mr.
McAdoo issued statement which was universally
interpreted as Abb No. I, and it intimated by
a usually reliable authority that the President
realized that a grave mistake had been made, but
that It would be an graver mistake to step in
at the eleventh hour and correct it.
Hardly had this statement been published when
the President set all rumors at rest by coming out
flat-footedly in support of his Fuel Administrator
and by proclaming his action absolutely neces-
sary" Again has the President proven his un-
swerving loyalty to his subordinates; admirable
trait, in 90 per cent of cases Whatever the blame,
the President is willing to bear it on his shoulders
The Director General of Railroads says his only
knowledge of the order is what have read" In
asmuch as the order is based primarily railroad
congestion his ignorance of the matter is somewhat
astonishing. Too astonishing, indeed, to be taken
at its face value, unless Mr.. McAdoo merely means
that he did not the actual text of the order
before it was published In view of the haste with
which the whole scheme projected on the
country, this is understandable
Washington is anxiously asking what the actual
effect of the order the American public will be
Will it react unfayorably the next liberty loan?
VIII it undermine confidence in the ability of the
Wilson administration to conduct world war prop
erly? VIII it encourage the enemy? Will 1t shake
the morale of business generally?
The answer to all these queries only be
fashioned from results If DR.. Garfield cure his
patient, the severity of his nostrum will be forgot
ten and forgiven-in time, though to the end there
always will be doubt and debate to whether such
drastic treatment necessary. If the doctor
doesn't cure, but merely alleviates then whole
Pandora's box OF evils will be loose for the
unhappy administration to contend with.
1t is make break" with the Fuel Admins
tration. In large sense, it is make or break"
with the present management of the The
action has been taken in the face of Congress and
in the face OF the country. 1t the work OF
autocracy, self-ustihed by peril
The only possible vndication of such Prussian-
ization of the government is complete success.
Without it. tho administration longer will be
able to cash checks a fund of public confidence
that has vanished.