Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-02-02
POINTS TO CANADA,

In Gods name, are We going to
get over to Franco?" Within ten
months after the war broke out Can
ada had her gallant sons in the trench
es assisting in some of the most des-
perate battles OF the war. With her
sparse settlements, with her lack of
wealth as compared to that OF the
United States, she got her brave from
ticrsmen--and they arc practically
Americans, my fricnds--over there;
bat America cannot get there. Where
is the trouble? My friends, If we do
not get there, and get there quickly,
it may be too late to go, and, as my
good friend, tho Senator from Iowa
CHR. Kcnyom said here the other
day, 1t would be better for q man to
lose his life and to see him tamely
die than to see the Teuton invade
America
ct was a sweeping statement, i'm
pulsively and impetuously made, and
intended by me to include the mill
tary establishment. l think | tried
to explain that it was too sweeping,
and now in this public manner I state
that | did not intend to impeach the
efficiency Of all the departments of
the Government. I was in no posi-
ton to do that.
had not investigated as to all, but I
intended to impcach, and I do i'm
peach, the efficiency OF the military
establishment, and I think I have
shown enough to sustain my charge
Of inenciency.
Nov, it is said we have not done
any good. Let me tell you that that
very statement of inehiciency has
done some good. My good friend,
Secretary Redfeld, very courteously
inclosed me this letter. I will not
have it read, but I will put it in the
record, to show that my statement
induced the Secretary to appeal to
his whole Office force to try to speed
up and do better SO that the charge
or inetflciency might not rest on them
| admire the spirit In which Secretary
Redficld took my suggestion. 1t was
a suggestion made to help and not
to hurt"
"You Senators know that there are
men along the Atlantic seaboard that
ought to have gone to France six
weeks or two months ago. They do
not go. Why is it? At M'neola
there are a lot Of Oregon boys who
went from q Southern encampment
to that bleak and barren place. where
they practically slept on tho ground,
and where some of them we're kept
for over a month in cold bleak wealth
or, not sufficiently clad, and without
the comforts that camp life ought to
have furnished them, waiting to got
over. There must be something
wrong somewhere.
"If America is going to play any
part in this war she will have to get
at it pretty soon. France Is expect
ing us, and the other Allies are ex-
pecting us, and 1t seems to me, my
fr ends, that the only way to speed
up our preparations-the only way
to get over there's to arouse
America to the necessity of the time
and the danger Of the crisis. When
once aroused I have no fear but that
America WILL rise in her might and
make an example Of sacrifice, OF
courage, and OF patriotism that will
make the brightest pages OF our old
history pale into insignificance as
compared with the fighting Of our
boys on foreign soil.
my friends, I apologize for hay ng
taken up SO much Of your time. You
can realize that my reputation is all
l have, and the love that my friends
have for me at home. With that rep