The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-02-08
THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT

I,f1G Z oIl1S y IkkSAI
For the second time within eight
days. Secretary of War Baker has
been subjected to the most severe Of
verbal castigations in the senate and
for the second time within such a mum.
Der of days, the public has been told
that President Wilson does not know
the truth about the war
Both Senator Chamberlain and Sen.
ator Hitchcock have directed their YER
bal lances at Secretary Baker. Why,
then. do they not favor his removal
rather than the creation of a war cabi.
net? Let it not be forgotten that
these men, professedly advocates OF a
bureaucratic administration OF the
war, at the same time have neglect
ed to argue that the work IL too big
for a single individual On the con.
trary, they have merely attacked Mr..
Baker personally
This places them in the position,
then. of arguing for a distribution of
authority without advancing a single,
logical reason for 1t and gives rise to
the suspicion that their attacks are
not promised so much upon desire
for change of system as upon an evil
dent wish to get rid of Mr.. Baker. Any
force which might attach itself to
their demands for war cabinet is
thus lost
Following the deduction further, 1t
would appear that the desires Of the
senators arc more personal than might
appear on the surface. In fact. It
would seem that bipartisan move
ment has been fully organized not TO
increase the war efficiency of the
country, but for the whole and sole
purpose of getting rid Of Mr. Baker.
This is further substantiated by the
fact that, with the publication Of the
evidence presented to the senate in.
Yestigating committee about evil con-
ditions In army camps, these same
camps loudly proclaim that, the in.
vestigating committee to the contrary,
their conditions are much rs claimed
by Secretary Baker Camp Sherman
IN Ohio for instance, reports that
there are not only sufficient army ov.
ercoats, but even an oversupply.
An investigation can bring to light
Just what the investigators desire, and
no more. II this apparent plan to oust |
Mr.. Baker from his present position
needed few woeful tales concerning
camp conditions, it was the easiest |
thing in the world to supply them |
Secretary Baker, in his recent reply. |
might have gone further than merely |
state that senate investigators had !
given the country the impression that
mistakes We're characteristic, rather
than occasional. and remarked that
this impression was not accidentally. |
but Intentionally. given.
From the broad standpoint, the re.
markable work which has been done
up To the present by the war depart.
ment places in It's properly narrow
channel the herc-and.there criticism
OF these senators. II Is an open di.
rection to look into the reason for this
attack upon the department, to ascer.
tain It's value, not its cause.
If American troops were still in
training In the United States, instead
OF occupying definite fighting sector.
then indeed might there be criticism.
But. no, the senators do not think of
this, They dwell only upon confound !
ing the secretary before the public
eye. They are doing, consciously or
unconsciously. their level best TO ND
set public confidence in the man. They
arc at once illogical and even, I'm a |
sense sedltious. Their desire IA NOT
constructive. but destructive. They
are guided by single purpose-the |
ousting of Secretary Baker-and whyp
1t Is the public's right TO know.