Republican farmer., 1918-02-01
THE ACHIEVEMENT WITHOUT PRECEDENT

~ sECRETARY BAKER commanded the attention of Con
- gress when told what the nation has done to pre-
pare war language the simplest with candour and
sincerity he received the tale of peoples crusade the story
of democracy girding on the sword.
men in by hundreds of thousands
tie widest critics of the government dreamed Of when
they telling what the government ought to do in 1917
Upon French soil there will be 100000 Ameri
can soldiers, fully equipped and ready to fight
Upon American soil there 100000 soldiers ready to go
to France fast ships can be provided for them
The tale of preparation in France is miracle story Great
harbors have been prepared by the of magcans
wand railroad 600 miles long has been made over and
fled supply American troops Warehouses seaport cities
and warehouses behind the fighting fronts spread in row on
row, miles of country.
Much of the material from this country, When
possible has been procured France Tonnage and
the drain upon transport has been tremendous
Fortunately France has surplus of machine and ar
ery production ample to supply American troops that
transport available for other things and America has
had time to fabrcae weapons superior to those in
OF the accusations in Senator Chamberans speech Sec
rotary Baker simply said They incidents picked out from
the great things accomplished They do not represent
American achievement but only the points in which achieve
ment defective"
ANY man reading what Secretary Baker says will perceive
that Senator Chamberans Indictment really indct
nrs of the American people, What has been done, after ALL
lis bot The of American civilization of American indus
H power for operation and unified effort
leadership these things is necessarily the govern
m necessarily not in the possession persons stand
ing outside the government who have duty except that of
chzns and information sufficient for the formation of
Judgment
Here is the government meeting through its experts the
Hxns of the Allies and deciding by consultation between
4REtS precisely what is necessary
AR things change Nothing twas before. All the
conditions Of different The nature of the war; the
weapons used changing from day to day. Things begun
ere abandoned later knowledge to hand New things
were undertaken under the pressure of necessity.
could government change its views its methods
upon the advice of citizen whose latest military experience
old fashioned charge up San Juan Hill?
The experts who from Europe knew things that Col
heard Of and that the learned only
because it was the government
Even the consultations between experts insufficient
They produced division of council The govern
poent the suggestion of Lloyd George brought into being
Cnon council of the Allies in which all things might be
@ diligently and carried out concordantly.
~ hng is the speech Of Secretary Baker the noisy
and saf the government and the American people
D. rat General Wood, experienced medical man
$1,000 have been selected to prepare the camps canton
.o WHEY in which troops were to be trained.
~ 1t the moment when the scoding critics companins
f the failure of the to avail themselves
Woods services in Europe, the that he
wounded in France.
Mr.. Roosevelt and his kind al apology, not to tn
American government but to the American people,
American alone but to democracy ITSELF They democ
racy of failure in the hour when democracy proving
efficiency to the utermos