The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-04-04
GEN. WOOD STARTS CYCLONE
IN THE SENATE.

he made personal inspection OF our |
,orces and the preparations we have
made and are making for participa-
ton In the war. Major General Leon
ard Wood appeared before the senate
affairs committee and told
them what he had seen and what he
hoped to see. He was evidently dis
appointed in the record our govern
ment has made in sending men to
France and In the equipment provided
for those who are there He told the
committee that 100000 men should
be rushed to France as quickly as pos
sible and that 2,O0O,O more should be
under training at home. He urged the
immediate passage of law for COM
pulsory military training as the only
means this country could adequately
meet the present emergency and to
provide permanent system of mill
tary defense. This advice from Gen.
eral Wood is of course not new to
the people. for he has persistently adj
vocated the adoption Of such policy
for years. and 1t was for this that he
has been relegated to a comparatively
unimportant command by the admin
istration. although he Is generally re-
garded as the highest military author
ity in the army.
1t is Of course too much to expect
the powers that be to directly adopt
the advice Of General Wood, but his
words have started a storm Of criti-
cism in the senate and throughout the
country that 1t Is hoped will in a meas
ure accomplish the results. Closely
following the appearance of General
Wood before the senate committee,
Senator Lodge. one of the old
est. most conservative, most able
senator's and prominently one Of
the most loyal supporters Of the
in the prosecu-
ton of the war. directed his first
word of criticism toward the admins
tration for its failure to meet the re-
quirements of war and for misleading
the people as to what had been ac-
No one can question the
motive Of Senator Lodge, which he
in these words:
II have held my peace a long
time, but the day is gone by to
hold my peace. The situation is
well known to every senator and
to the members of the military
committee, who have done much
good work during the past winter.
But one can no longer stand by
in silence l, as an individual, as
an American citizen, want the AM
erican people to know what the
situation $50 that they may rise
up to meet it."
He pointed out that there are 1000
American aviators in France, but not
one fighting plane for them to use.
The sector held by Americans is with
out air defense. Six months have
been wasted trying to improve on the
French 75-millimeter gun, the best in
The world, said the senator, and still
we are dependent upon France for
artillery. We have turned
cut two American ships since war was
declared. although the country was
ed to believe that we had launched
80. And yet we are told over and
over again ships are the most essen
ial element toward winning the war.
The time has come when the people |
demand action. and it was to let the
people know the situation that in
luced Senator Lodge to tell the truth |
n order that they may let their de-
nand be known in an effective man.
Ter. A few months ago Senator
chairman of the commit
zee on military affairs made SIM
lar attack upon the war department |
or its failure, which resulted in
hanges which to some extent i'm
'roved the efficiency of the depart
nent. II is hoped that the speech of
senator Lodge, which was supported
" many other senators, will have
urther beneficial effect.