New-York tribune., 1918-12-11

NHERE recently died of pneumonia in
France Major Willard Straight, Of
IL the American army. He above
the draft age and was a of large and
many interests He had a wife and three
children. There was every excuse for him
not to have gone to the 'front.' but both he
and his wife had in their souls that touch
of herosm which makes it impossible for
generous natures to others pay with
their bodies and not wish to do something
themselves.
The one regret that Major Straight felt,
and he felt it most bitterly, was that he
had not been able in spite of all his efforts
to get to the actual firing front. This fail
ure was really a cause of great anguish Of
soul to him
In the same way I know of the four sons
Of an ex-Cabinet officer, all of whom in
stantly went into the army a the outbreak
of the war. Two were at the fighting front,
one was in the navy and the other, because
of special excellence as an instructor, was
kept here, and the gallant young fellow,
who left his wife and baby to enlist, really
feels as if the refusal of the War Depart
ment to permit him to go where he could be
know three other men who because of their
excellence were kept as instructors at one
of our camps whose feelings of regret are
SO bitter that they can hardly bear to look
at their uniforms and the sight of wound.
ed soldiers causes them agonies of thwart.
ed longings.
All this is most natural, and just what
we should expect from high minded gallant
fellows But it is entirely unwarranted.
utterly abhor the swivel chair Stacker who
got some safe job in order to avoid doing
his duty at the front But for the hundreds
OF thousands of young Americans in the
ranks or with commissions who did every
thing they could to go on the firing lines
and who through no fault of theirs failed
have precisely the same feeling that |
have for the men who took part in the most
dangerous work
General Leonard Wood. in his recent cap-
tai address, has taught the right lesson to
these men. He was dismissing TO their
homes the men whom he had trained with
his usual extraordinary capacity to fit them
for work overseas and ne dwelt to them
upon the fact that the all important point
was that they should remember that it was
not the position they achieved but the
readiness to do duty in whatever position
they were given that really counted
General Wood has himself been treated
with the most cruel injustice in this war,
yet he has rendered signal service in bring
ing before Congress our military needs,
and above all, in training scores Of thou
sands of our best fighting men. When he was
denied from the very meanest motives. tne
chance to fill distinguished position, IN
stead of sulking, he devoted all OF his
energy to doing the best ne could in the
positions to which he was assigned. In
consequence he comes out of the as
of those who most materially helped
to win it.
What is true of him in big place IS
true of every other soldier, whether in Dig
or little place. The hardest task was fof
the men who were denied the chance OF
glory. and if they did this hard task we"
and served faithfully wherever they were
assigned they have exactly the same righs
for pride in their participation IN the greS'
as any of the gallant fellows who haN'
come back manned or crippled from ta'
front.
All alike have made the rest OF Us l0'-
ever their debtors, and to all alike we pa,
the same Mood % loyal admiration anu
respect. Copyright 1915 The Kansas CITY si<'