The Washington herald., 1918-01-29

thoroughly in touch with the country
at large and who knows its limita-
tions. which any country, however
great, must have, said with the ut
most seriousness the other evening:
I'VE want to win the war and the
price will be a great one that we pay
in dollars and cents-not to mention
human lives. But whittier are we drift
ing in financial affairs? 1 wish ]
knew. wish that / might say that
an accounting has been taken-that
it would be taken before more money
Is planned to be raised.
A wish that all the country will re-
fleet when 1t knows the situation with
half the intimacy that this great
financier does.
The Appropriat tons Committee of the
House and the Senate will look into
these matters within the next few
weeks. There is to be a survey made
let no one fear. The survey viii
show where We are drifting" and
other things OF interest.
The cost OF winning the world to
democracy is not too great. though 1t
drag US down to the brink of ma
tional bankruptcy. But We want to
go down to the brink knowing what
we are doing-not shrouded in dark
ness and unable to tell what our po-
sition Is.
We shall ind out. 1t will be one
job that Congress will attend to dur
ing the next few months.
We are glad to note that other
journals of current happenings are
taking account of the one great need
apparent in the relations between the
President and Congress. 1t 10 a fact
that there is general rejoicing over
the willingness Of the President to
call members Of Congress in to talk
and confer with them over the prob
lens of war.
No one, SO far as We have been able
to observe. cares to assume the po-
sition Of the President in this awful
American crisis. But Congress is
anxious to assume some of the bur-
den of warmaking. Particularly does
Congress want to know what some of
the plans are so when the people ask
why certain sums of money were ap-
propriated and why certain revolu-
tionary laws are passed. the members
will know what to say.
The people are holding President
y" hsOh ISspOlSiDict III kItdI IlSdSult'
for the conduct OF the war, but they
are also holding their Representatives
here responsible to some degree, and
the members want to live up to that
responsibility. That is all-and the
Presidents remembrance OF this, at
this time, will make for a better I'M
derstanding and less difficulty from
now on.
There are many interests in favor
of universal military training which
are objecting to the passage of the
war cabinet bill. But when these in
terests run up against the opposition
of President Wilson on this measure,
they will not be willing to have it
said of them that they are trying 10
tear down the administrations con-
duct of the war.
The mere fact that men are sin
cerely and honestly and patrioti-
cally trying to make proposals diff
erent than the administrations for
effective conduct of the war, does
not mean that they are the less in
terested in seeing America win.
The same tolerance that advo-
Gates of universal training expect
for their measure, they must be
willing to give to those who are
advocating the war cabinet legisla-
tion.
1t might be remarked here that
several Republicans OF the House,
who agreed to oppose the war cab
met legislation, thought that by SO
doing they could best serve the in
terests of those who are urging the
passage of the universal training
bill Perhaps when the President
takes his stand against the latter
legislation, they will realize that
they gained precious little by the
step. Tactics is tactics" all right,
we agree, but there are two kinds
of tactics-those that win and those
that loose. The House Republicans
quite probably have adopted the
latter. so far as the universal train
ing legislation is concerned.
The name of former Secretary OF
War Garrison has been mentioned in
connection with the proposal that q
war cabinet of three members be
installed in our war-making sys-
tenn. This former official has more
than a passing knowledge of the
War Department, and besides being
a man of strong convictions and
pronounced ability is one who has
given sepe thought te the future