The Washington herald., 1918-05-08

Several weeks ago George Creel
made the statement that he was toll
erabIy glad your Uncle Samuel didn't
enter this conflict prepared.
This statement. Of course, was
made wholly on authority of the
Rocky Mountain-well Senator Sker-
man would say "dervish' If he were
-Sriting this-and was not based on
anything Mr.: Creels chief, the Presi-
dent. had said.
We quote leisurely from a number
of remarks the President has made
on the subject to show that Mr.. Creel
almost rejected as null and void what
the President has hitherto said on the
subject.
In December. 1914: 1--WE must de-
pend upon a citizenry trained
and accustomed to arms"
In January, 1916: mo man in the
United States knows what single
week or single day or single hour
may bring forth"
Again, in January, 1916, fifteen
months before we entered the war,
mind you: Now no man can c1nfi-
IDENTIFY say whether the United States
will be drown into the struggle or
not"
Still again. in January, 1916: "A
year ago (January, 1879 it did seem
as il America might rest secure with
out great anxiety and take it for
GRANTED that she would not be drawn
into this terrible maelstrom. but those
first six months was merely the be-
ginning"
And so on and so on. as Col. Harvey
would say. to show that Mr.. Creel
simply spoke what he himself. 5or-
dering on socialism and the rest
sometimes, thought OF what this coun-
try had been doing.
We doubt IL Mr.. Creel really gave
thought to what he was saying. He
Is wild and impetuous and thought
less, and inclined to that school of
writer's which would rather dig UP
skeletons for the public to view than
to construct for the edification of the
public some whole being which would
reflect all the virtues men have.
We might remark that, in this con-
nection. the navy may be said TO have
been prepared for war. We have the
evidence of 1t now, though some OF
us were inclined TO think then that
it was not the truth to state that
such was the case.
We quote the President again from
a January speech to show both this
and to further refute what Mr.. Creel
was so thankful for. Said the Presi'
dent:
"All that has happened (the up
building of the navy is that we
now see we ought more rapidly and
more thoroughly than ever before
DO THE THINGS WHICH HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN CHARACTERS
| TIC OF AMERICA"
Do you get the purport Of that
| gentle reader?
What a blow to Mr.. Creel. Oh
how some of those January pre-.
paredness tour remarks of the
President rise up to confront Mr.
Bryan and Mr.. Creel and others
who would have kept America In
the pitchfork class forever
The belief is growing hereabouts
that reason and justice will per.
! meate the government control and
| operation of the railroads and thtil
subsequent return to the owper:
| after the war is over-if that
course is determined upon as mos
feasible to follow.
There are indications at this very
moment. in fact, that the govern.
ment will one of these days make
startling concessions to the road.
in the matter of rates, and thai
when this step is taken some oi
those who are now calling loudly
for government ownership will see
that under even partial government
ownership the rates must be raised
in justice to the carriers and tC
the government itself.
The government is in a position
to raise the rates now. The Inter.
state Commerce Commission coulG
never have done so, under the ole
order, without bringing distrust or
the part of some OF the public ant
without calling down upon thu
heads of the powers that be all tn,
anathemas demogogues can lay
| tongue to.
Naturally enough the anti-cor.
poration men. who are now sitting
on public utility regulatory bodies
or who are holding other public of.
fees because of their campaigns
against corporations, will want t.
say something in opposition to tn,
plan. They will not have the data
with which to support their unjus
remarks, however, and now, a
never before. will not be liable t.
| say very much in that direction be.
cause the ma jority of the peopl,
| are interested intensely in winnins
the war and realize just what al
important part OF our machiner,
our transportation system is.
Good times are ahead. OF thil