Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-01-31
EDIT O RIA
with SILENT CONTEMPT"

profit by pulling Bill Nye's old recipe
Tor the treatment of a corr on ones
toe from the archives of his memory
and FASTING 1t in his hat. Bills ad-
vice was to treat the corn with silent
contempt. Mr.. Wilson cannot afford
to pause in the great work he has I'M
d~ertaken to fay his critics.
The American people have unbound.
ed faith in the integrity of their presi.
dent, IN whom they recognize a man
Of great breadth and depth of charac,
ter. The chief regret in connection
with the controversy into which the
president and Senator Chamberlain
have become involved is that two
such brilliant and courageous men
should employ phrases Indicating that
each is laboring under no small de.
gree of heat.
Mr.. Wilson'S caustic reply to the
senator's recent New York speech,
in the coure of which Mr.. Chamber
lain severely arraigned the secretary
of war for what he characterized as
incompetency, as revealed by the
senate investigation, has not created
a favorable impression throughout
the country. in our opinion. The
presidents sincerity OF purpose, how
ever, is not for a moment in question.
Mr.. Wilson reminds US somewhat
of Theodore Roosevelt when the lat
ter was in the height of his political
glory, since both men are ready to
fight, not only for principle, but for
friends and for friendships. Teddy
possesses the peculiar characteristic
of being able to fight on the run but
while Mr.. Wilson evinces a similar
tendency to roast those who roast his
friends 1t remains to be determined
whether he has attained to such a
high pinnacle In this classic art as
his illustrious predecessor.
Senator Champebrain belongs to
the presidents own political party,
o1tf iho ZIG PiCSiucuL, lit Is LuOTc
than a democrat. The people of Ore
gon chose him to his present exalted
position, Notwithstanding they elected
the republican candidates to all other
offices, because they believe, in the
man-believed him to be a true-blue
American who would rise above mere
craftsmanship in an emergency.
We confess that we have no per-
sonal knowledge of the facts concern
ing which Mr.. Wilson and MI. Cham
berlain differ, but the testimony be-
fore the senate investigating commit
tee tends to sustain Senator Chamber
lain's criticism Of the war department
We should reflect, however. that
there may be facts bearing upon the
situation that cannot be disclosed and
which, II known, might place the sec
Rotary OF war before the country in a
better light.
The strength of a democracy Hes
in Individual freedom Of thought and
pf speech within the bounds of rea-
son, There can be no true democracy
where this freedom does npt exist.
There can be no READ democracy where
hanesf criticism. offered in / spirit
of good eltizelship and with 4 view
o hsttasfiaent, is not tolerated. even
Ian ggsaf n~ational crisis.
tEEa gH%Eafl
AHt in such 5al emergency as now
aaaffan the nation criticism should
aa faIlpeEd With a fill consideration
a,f the Indications Ii conveys SON
sEor chamberlain. no doubt. Has kept
This Iaet Ia mind. He Isl assuredly
ao earping critic. There Ii no rea-
son sspparent why he silonld desire to
discredit the administration or any
part or it.
Mr.. Wilson is facing d tremendous
responsibility. view 81 his Ell.
yironments In HIS life work and his
previous opportunities. no sensible
man shonldexpect the president Ia
be able to master all the i~ntricacies
Involved 81 the problems 81 the hour.
although II Is within tte knowledge
rs AL Americans that M. Wilson ia
performing herculean aaks; and. 81
the nther hand. 8 reasonAblem man
should corstrue crtticisrn u poilciea
~ * the tneficiency ot Nssistants 4
rsisesicn mon his iasssttty i 80