The Washington times., 1918-01-24

! must stih remain q matter between
| the United States and the allies.
In order to know whether the Sec
| retary of War has done his Job well
II is necessary to know all the cir
cumstances. II 10 necessary to know
what the British and French high
commands did. II 10 necsssary to
know that tens OF thousands OF en-
gineers and railway men and aux
Hilary troops engaged In dock and
| road building were sent to France
suddenly at the request OF the French.
America had not planned to send the
, bulk Of these regiments until the
year 1918, while her infantry and ar
tillery forces were being mobiliEed
and trained. But the engineers and
! railway men required uniforms and
equipment. The drain was extraordI-
nay and unforeseen.
Experienced Men Sent Abroad.
Under the original plan the United
States was not to become . military
| factor In the hrst year. on account
OF the shortage OF shipping, but to
keep the flow OF munitions and food
steady, to build ships and meet the
allied needs. But events In Russia
and Italy, which were anticipated
/ somewhat by the French and British,
; required America not only to keep
England and France supplied with
food, but to begin sending men across
and to keep those men fed, too. All
this resulted In the Immediate dis
patch. also OF practically all the
trained officers OF the regular army
Of the United States TO France. This
left the bureaus In the War Depart
ment to be manned mostly by reserve
officers newly acquired from civilian
life.
In this process OF expansion many
mistakes were made. They were the
natural and inevitable results OF
haste. Many business men came 20
Washington to seek contracts. Many
, were disappointed. Many told their
Senators about It. Much OF the testi-
mony before the Senate Military AZ
fairs Committee concerned contracts.
Very little Of IL touched on general
military policy. Our troubles of ord
nance and supply have been partly due
to incompetence at home, but partly
due to our situation abroad. The
truth about ordnance Is a chapter In
Itself and the War Department has
not told IL as yet.
In q certain sense, the Secretary of
War Is in a defenseless position. He
II accused OF falling to be frank be-
fore the Senate committee. He could
not be. He Goes not intend to be. And
In this decision he has the fullest sup
port of the President OF the United
States. who thinks II would be folly
to disclose the military negotiations
OF the United States and its allies at
this time. Some day the truth will be
known. Then the President Is con-
fident the country will sustain Secre-
49, 1T N,,- Er11
many persons hitherto hostile to Jose
phus Daniels is full OF praise for the
Secretary OF the Navy.
President to Keep Nun.
Mr.. Wilson will not debate the Issue
Jf military policy with the Senate or
House. The country either has conf
Ience in the President or II has not
-he Congress has bestowed on the
executive sufficient power TO manage
he war.
Incompetence and mistakes and
changes OF plan and difficulties un-
forseen. difficulties for which the
entente is responsible and difficulties
for which Germany Is responsible.
have occurred in great numbers. In
war, a whole military policy may be
changed overnight. Secretary Baker
IL the target OF severe attack today,
VIII II be the same when the truth
Is known? This correspondent has
earned sufficient facts OF the mill
tary policy OF the United States to
state that what the United States
has done thus far In war Is worthy
OF the best traditions OF America.
And with the hearty support OF the
people. with less partlsanship and
less attention to petty politics, and
more thought OF the big Job ahead.
:he task OF America by June 1 will
stand forth as an unexampled
achievement in military history, a
remarkable work OF transportation to
a war 5000 miles away.
Lord NorthclIffe lauds the American
accomplishment. So does Andre Tar
lieu, head OF the French war mis-
don in this country. What Is needed
a better understanding between
President Wilson and Congress, an
avoidance Of such mistakes as the
method OF announcing so drastic a
measure as the Garfield order, less
grumbling by prima donna officers
II the Government. as we'll as an ap-
probation on all sides of the larger
aspect OF Americas participation in
Ehe war.