Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-06-04
CENSOR The BOAST

evening, Colonel Roosevelt declared
there should be censorship on boast
ing. This comedies with an opinion
The Courier has expressed frequently
but without visible effect. We do not
predict that Mr.. Roosevelts demand
will bear fruit imme diately, but that
fact does not weaken our approval OF
It.
Because America had boosted for
years OF her great strength and re-
sources 1t was a shock to many ctti.
zens to discover, after we had gone to
war, that there Is vast difference
between potential military power and
actual fighting strength. In numerous
training camps throughout America in
structors are laboring frantically to
instill In the minds Of recruits the
fact that battle with the Germans is
mighty serious affair, not to be ap-
edness nor with a belief in the silly
idea that lone American can whip ten
Germans" N
were going to have in Europe this
summer, to darken the skies over Ger
many and carry the war straight to
Berlin. And while we boosted Ger.
many built fighting machines. Mr..
Hughes has not found out Just what
we did, but the color Of Germany's
skies remains unchanged.
We boosted of the victory that
would be ours within few months
after war was declared. but we are
coming to realize now that the
struggle is only beginning, that our
army in France. while a wonderful
body of eager fighting men, must be
reinforced continuously until its men,
bers are counted by the million IN
stead OF the thousand.
The noise Of our boasts crossed the
Atlantic, and we heard, as II in an
swer. the plaintive, then querulous
query from the shell holes and the
trenches, Where are the Americans?
Why don't they Gomez" Those ques
lions are being stilled now, as ship
after ship unloads khaki-clad Ameri-
cans in France. We needed time to
make good our boasts; we need more
time, even now.
The allies are not proof against the
criticism Mr.. Roosevelt makes OF
America While the Germans we're
making their preparations for the
spring drive the public was told by
French and British officials and war
riors that the enemy could not gain
against the strongly entren ched
armies along what then was the west
ern front. Day by day, as the long.
delayed drive progressed, assurances
were forthcoming that this strong
hold or that would prove the Anal
stumbling block, but the following day
would bring the news that the Ger.
mans had forced the allies to with
draw. Only when the rush had been
halted before Amiens and around
Ypres, statesmen and soldiers warned
the public that the lull in the fighting
presaged new and greater attack.
And with the news of the crown
princes assault on the Chemin des
Danes came the confident assertion
that he would find that the most diff
ficult place along the whole line at
which to make his supreme effort. Be.
hind the heights, we were told, lay the
Aisne, and from 1--WE to ten miles be.
hind that the Vesle river. Within two
days the Germans passed the hills and
crossed both rivers, and yesterday
one dispatch from French headquar.
tiers read like this: 1.-THE German
gains of Tuesday were very slight.
The allies. seeing the futility Of op.
posing overwhelming numbers OF the
enemy, withdrew and the Teutons
crossed the Vesle river. The Aisne
is now at the enemy's back" and 81
on
The unvarnished fact Is that the
allies were surprised by the attack be-
tween scissors and Rheims. that they
had the sector guarded by far to,
small force to Withstand an attack
such as the enemy launched; that they
lost thousands Of prisoners, score
OF towns and several guns, that they
have been forced backward into terri.
tory which has not been a battlefield
at any previous time during the war:
that the Chemin des Danes and two
rivers failed to stop the Germans
rush, and that unless strong reinforce
ments are thrown int, the battle with
out delay an extensive withdrawal
may be necessary to. QreIeat . -piaEc,