The Cordova daily times., 1918-02-18
BLOWING OFF A LITTLE STEAM

WV AO0A Ihat Hauy ClLlHenS are De coming unnecessarily alarmed over the state of our internal affairs. The shake-up at Washington has assumed rather extensive proportions but this IS no sign that everything is going tc smash. The Presidents hand is still 0n the throttle, and while the war or. Sanization Is running slightly behind the schedule, it is still on the track. Whether the showdown was caused by incompetent operating hands, or by a dellberate attempt to derail the ad. ministration's war engine, is a matter TOT political speculation alone. The great mass of plain citizens-those who have submerged their politics for the duration of the war-are con- cerned only with speeding up the war machine to its maximum capacity. The character and political color of the crew in charge matters little, so long as the citizens are satisfied as to its efficiency This is not the politicians "ar-it is the peoples war-and the sooner the former realize this and re. Spect the peoples wishes, the better for all concerned. ..
 But we started out to say that our affairs are not in such serious straits after all. We have simply been blow- ing off a little steam The shake-up was bound to come, and now that if has happened, we should rapidly re. gain our individual and collective equilibrium If we would reassure our, selves that all is we'll with us in the main, we heed only east a glance across the water and contrast the tur- bnient situation abroad with little Hurry we have been having at home.I good look at the internal upheavals ID all the European countries ought to- convince the most skeptical that our 4Ittfc &smlIy row is not of much c0nse- 2Irence, after all The critical stage of the sSvar has been reached A storm of popular discontent is brewing every where. It has struck several of the ations abroad with exceptional fury, but so far as we can see, there is no immediate reason why we Americans should become frightened at the first breeze that blows and rush pell-meIlI into our storm cellars. Now, of all
 times, it behoOves us to hold our .sads The supreme test of our na- tional character has come. We must maintain our morale at all costs.
 Look abroad: Russia's pitiful condi- tion passes all comprehension. Italy's army is not the most dependable and the whole country is permeated with political intrigue and religious pre- judices. The Caillaux expose has Thrown all France in furOr. The gal lant Frenchmen, strange to say, are unconsciously permitting themselves to be aligned in factions and are ac- uniring extreme mistrust for each other. It is needless to say that, come what may, they will never desert the 1ri-colors, but the French patriots will i never forgive the politicians for in- kerfering with their military opera lions. This, by the way, ought to be an object lesson to the short-sighted Politicians in our own country.
 Then England appears to be en- eOuntering her full share of internal ssissentions. The Irish question is at 1racting considerable attention again; labor evidences a desire to take thei Government in it's own hands; the no bility is growing luke-Warm in it's sup port of the war policies; the plain people are beginning to chaff under ahe pressure of their enforced priva- lions; the military critics are firing broadside after broadside at the gov ernment, taking the military authori- ties severely to task and demanding shape-up in both the army and navy. All told, Lloyd George and his associ- ates are having the devils own time holding down the lid.
 What of the enemys situation? Austria-Hungary is seething with dis content and insurrectiOns are breaking out on every hand. Were 1t not for the strangle hold that the Prussian war lords have on this country, she would be suing for peace at any price right now. And what about Germany itself All is not well with her by any means. The junkers are just as pre- tentious as ever but their power is rapidly diminishing, and the socialists are growing bolder every minute and
 gaining ground by leaps and bounds