The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-02-09
AMERICA is DOING HER BIT

Mistakes have been made by all the belligerents in this
war, as they have been made in all great wars, and, when all
is said, we have done as well as any of our allies. We have no
reason to be discouraged, for we have accomplished more than
England was able to do in her first war year. The federal ao-
minsration began right by adopting CONSUMPTION at the start,
and we have more than 100000 men under arms in training
camps and in the field in France. We lack experienced Off
GERS, but that was unavoidable, and we are training the best OF
material under the direction of experienced English and French
officers. To keep close at home, we are following the system
which has made the Canadian forces the equals OF any soldiers,
and we shall achieve similar results with larger numbers ana
in less time because we are escaping the delays incidental TO
the volunteer system which Canada has been forced to abandon.
Our soldiers in France are well armed and equipped, and
those in training camps in this country are being outftted very
rapidly. II It's idle to talk about what might have been done be-
fore war was declared, because congress would not have grant
ed the necessary appropriations. In spite of sensational
speeches in congress, the health of our troops is good, the death
rate being below the normal for men of their years, according
to the mortality tables of the life insurance companies. A few
medical officers have been careless, but their conduct was under
investigation before Senator Chamberlain unfairly attacked the
war department. No epidemcs of typhoid have broken out in
the camps and no complaints about bad food have been heard.
Kit, hener's army was trained without rifles and uniforms ana
in This respect we are much better off.
Until within the last two months, critics of the admins
tary of the navy. Now we hear from all sides that he was fore
handed in purchasing supplies and that his department has dis
played wonderful efficiency. In a sense, the navy is always on
a war footing, but the excellence of our navy was not admitted
until it began to put itself on record on both sides of the At
lantic. Before midsummer it is safe to predict that we will be
as we'll satisfied with our army.
Whenever a hitch occurs somebody calls for a complete
change in the conduct of the war. The latest demand of this
kind is for a war cabinet, which comes at a time when the war
cabinets of England and France are under fire. Our president
is commander-in-chief of the military and naval forces of the
nation and has proved his willingness and ability to make
necessary changes. He has the courage to change his mind
when convinced that something better can be done. We have,
too, striking examples of the willingness of the federal admins
trahon to secure the services of the best men available for se-
cil duties in the appointment of Mr.. Stettinius to assist in pur-
chasing supplies for the army, and of Mr.. Morrow of Pittsburgh
to help straighten out the system of producing and distributing
coal.
Fuel Administrator Garfield acted without securing the CO.
ordination of others, but this mistake has been corrected With
the help of Mr.. Morrow and Mr.. McAdoo as director general of
railroads. Most of the ships waiting for bunker coal have re-
ceived their supplies, and the only mistake was that the five
days shutdown was not necessary for achieving that result.
The federal administration and it's subordinate officials are do
ing all they can, but in one or two instances they have tried to
do too much.
Fair criticism is to be encouraged when it is constructive.
Practical men can serve the country by suggesting improve
ments either by personal communication or through the daily
newspapers. Suggestions that coal should be brought to New
York on motor trucks by ferry have been put in practice with
excellent results. Segregation of railroad traffic is RAPIDLY
relieving the blockade. Mr.. McAdoo is correcting the confn-
sion caused by various government officials issuing priority
orders for movements of government freight without knowing
what others were doing. 1t is fair and useful criticism to tell
the story OF an important official who issued a rush order for
the shipment of two anchors for a vessel whose keel had not
been LAID. He will not do it again, and his error has educa-
tlonal value for every department at Washington.
Candor compels the admission that government officials
are learning from their mistakes. The best of men make mic
takes, but do not make the same mistake twice. The nres;-
dent has an open mind and fHrmness of purpose. a combination
that ensures efficiency. The country is behind him with NJ on
money and the will to win this war-New York Commercial
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