New-York tribune., 1918-06-30

TIN "THE OUTLOOK" a series of
articles which, the editor explains,
Il for obvious reasons must remain
unsigned, are now appearing.
They are an appraisal of the Administra-
tion by writer who is Gin position of
responsibility in one of the branches of
the governments service" The first ar
ticle proceeded, in part, as follows:
"The Administration is honest. Even it's
harshest critics admit with little question
the unimpeachable character of the men
about the President. So thoroughly do we
take this fact for granted that it is only
when we hear the rumb1fng of the Bolo
Pacha storm that we remember to be thank
full for things which have been as universal
in Washington as loyalty and integrity.
Prohteering there undoubtedly has been,
and at the present writing the Borglum
charges of graft in aircraft production,
while generally discredited, are not yet dis
proved; but on the whole graft has been
isolated and promptly punished. The cases
against the advisory committees of the
Council of National Defence, which made
such stir early in the winter, came to
nothing. There have been charges Of favor
itism, or worse, as is inevitable when
billions of dollars are being rapidly spent
and opportunities for illegal profit are rife,
but Congressional investigating committees
have not yet. so far as the writer knows,
discovered a single wilful misrepresentation
of the public funds.
political profiteering, never so easy to
vyt$h oiy,Svy hos hna~ %hn
whole, less prevalent than one might have
had reason to fear. The President has been
widely criticised for choosing his counsel
lors almost exclusively from his own party
and for neglecting to utilize the services
of men like Colonel Roosevelt policy
built squarely upon Mr.. Wilson's theory Of
party government. Every one who believes
that party politics divert time, effort and
enthusiasm from the winning of the war
disapproves Mr.. Wilson's entrance into the
recent Wisconsin campaign and his sending
Democratic leaders to stump the state on
behalf of Mr. Davies. But, granted the diff
fculty of getting working results from a
coalition Cabinet under Constitution such
as ours, partisanship has not, on the whole
gone far Fairness compels one to take
into account the absolute disregard OF
party lines in the awarding Of commissions
in the army and navy, and Of positions in
most of our special war-making depart
ments.
The real test of non partisan nationalisn
however, has not yet arrived; it will come
in the summer and autumn, when the elec-
tions are impending. One hopes that the
| Wisconsin mistake will not be repeated;
that Mr.. McAdoo will continuously suit his
action to the words with which he rebukes
those who introduce him at Liberty Loar
rallies as Our next President; and tina,
Mr.. Wilson will so stretch his theory o1
political responsibility as to avail himself
of at least few capable Republican execu
tives 1t is nation which is in arms now
not party, and the Administration can sat
isfy the country only by meeting the issue
in the largest spirit"
The second article of this series
printed in the issue of June 26, deal.
with this question: "Does the Admins
tration need War Cabinet?" The
writer declares:
at is an extraordinary state of affairs
| No man on earth could have the time ane
| strength to settle promptly the immune rabls
| questions which come up for settlement al
| Washington. Certainly no man who is writ
ing war messages and entertaining visiting
! diplomats has time to do this. As q result