Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-09

the cunning work of disheartening
America and making its citizens believe that
their Government has been dealing deceitfully
with them'-The Savannah Press.
If the people believed what the calamity chorus
has been wailing, they would be so sick at heart
be well-nigh powerless for effective patriotism
If it were true that the military establishment oil
the United States had broken down; if were true
that the first year of belligerency had been
frittered away; if it were true that our Govern
ment had shown graver ineffciency than any Rus
STA ever knew; then, indeed, would we have cause
for shame and despair. All these things the Scrtb-
bling Scod of Oyster Bay and his kindred malcon-
tents have charged. For what purpose? II their
assertions were even half true they might be eX-
planned sincere efforts to arouse a lethargic
Government and lethargic people to action. But
they wholly false the only logical explana-
tion is that the men who utter them more en-
V1ous than patriotic, more concerned with petty
politics than with the welfare of their country.
They not critics. these propagandists of dis
trust; they slanderers. They know, if they
have observed at all ntelligently that the United
States has accomplished in the last twelve
months than any other nation in the war ever &C
complished in that length of time. They know that
the Government has summoned to its aid the
countrys highest talent in business in industry and
in science as we'll as in things purely military, and
has entrusted the working out of all problems as
well as the performance Of all tasks to expert
hands. Yet, envious and partisan are these
beraterS of the Administration that they prefer to
join the Potsdam press in denouncing the United
States Government rather than admit the nation 8
leadership.
The value of sincere and competent criticism in
times like the present hardly be overgauged.
There have been errors and shortcomings in the
conduct of the war, and there will continue to be.
1t is the part of patriotism to point these out and
to suggest remedies and improvements. But that
is quite different from sneerng and msrepresent-
i1g and vilifying. 1t is quite different from set
ting out maciously and regardless of truth, to I'M
Gersine the country's confidence in its government
Such work is better suited to pro-Germans than to
Americans. 1t is of kind with the German-born
rumors of disaster to troop transports and Of
a kind with the Commanded eXaggerations of the
mortality rate to be expected among our men at the
front. To destroy the American peoples faith in
their Government at this juncture would be to de-
stroy their faith lin themselves and their faith in
victory.
In this country cannot change national Ad-
ministrations as they can in England whenever it
peases the electorate President, if he lives,
serves out his fOur-year term. Mr. Wilson will be
President until March 4, 1921; and far
the will be decided during his
Administration. 1t is, therefore, the patriotic duty
of all Americans, regardless of political and per-
sonal preferences, to encourage land uphold the
Administration for the tremendous burdens it is
carrying. And that, happily, is what the great
body of Americans, irrespective of parties is do
ing. They doing it, not merely from a of
duty, but out of Astounding confidence inspired by
the manifest wisdom of the Governments policies
and the magnificent of its achievements.