Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-29

6uppu0O ~ Ill. because VI80C0, 00YUV
not have enough to guard our uno %
we'll as her own, German sviatos5 IRE,
able to observe the actions Of our aF-
mics and to carry out bombing and
gas raids almost without tear OF pun-
ishment.
More than a month ago rsUubl9.
citisen OF Ottumwa, returning from ~
business trip to Washington, bruu1ht
the disconcerttng information that me-
had been told the Liberty motor We .
disappointment. The few friends n
whom he oonfided were loath % D.
lieve that he had been correctly II
formed. But now the motor b reoona-
mended for rejection 81 Q part OF
American combat machines. pfssga-
ably because It is not - rsopudslyo
nor O. powerful as the British IA.
French motors which have been tao1oal
successfully In actual wa1faee.
The Lew1s machine gun hae ben ~
use IN Europe With splendid SUCCESS
for almost four years. lEhas Stood ths,
test Of war, but It Wa Sa5ou<ed BY
America and the new Browning gun,
was selected after tedious ssz1a0 &c;
tests which were 1naugurnted only e1t-i
er America had declared wen
Similar delay was suffered b. Amer1
lea while the British Enf3sA rifle wusi
being improved and tested. otnHari
delay explains Americas hck Of can
non. for, as Senator Lodge nd yseesf-
day. experiments were carried out with
the thought OF 1mpeoving on tAol
French 76's. which had withstood thsI
war test and proved their worth.
Had these exhaustive experiments
been made in 1915 or even "a
1916 instead of 1917, thsy
might have resulted sdv.utexe-.j
ously to our country. Had tlsey.j
preceded orr entrance into the war
they could not Justly have invited the
enmtty OF Germany, then nominally . !
friendly nation, for they would have
been indicative Of nothing but desire !
to excel in military equipmsut and 70
be prepared rs all neutral nations arc
prepared now. !.
The deplorable fact is that We hsvsx
been playing at going to war whsn ~;
should have been fighting. Now, when
we should DO q tower Of strength for
the allied cause. we are impotant
We have congratulated ourselves on
the completion of ambitious prokams,
only to see them fail of fruition. We
have wsxed enthusiastic over Whist va
intended to do, but the record Of our
accomplishment is woefully short Of
what it should be after q year Of war
We have mistaken promise for pors.
Torrance.
It Is not pretty thought, nor one
calculated to excite optimism IN the
hearts of loyal Americans. But Il ID
far better to realize the truth and to-
set about Fighting the situation WITH
out moments delay, than to invite
destruction by accepting the confident
assurances, OF Secretary Baker that al
Is well.
America IL fed up on optimism and
confidence. What America needs now
is a realization Of her peril, to ct tie
teeth and harden the determination oe
every patriotic citizen. America must
fight, back to the wall America must
win. but silly and groundless conf
dence will not bring victory.
Tho war preparations must BE- sped
ed up. The last second for expeil-
ments and theorising has passed. -lt
Is the duty OF the officials in Wash.
ington to organize Americas vast Il.
sources under capable MANAGEMENT.
regardless Of party lines and regard.
less Of personalities, to oentalle
authority and multiply action. to the
end that We may get into the var q .
force to be reckoned with while yot
there is time.
The allies have held on, ~ Senator
Lodge said yesterday. with sacrifice
and courage that go past eulogy. But
they have suffered revesses which sell.
styled experts, only week ago, declaF-
experts now say that they viii wrest vie.
tory from defeat. and those who real
their new assertions fairly tremble
with dread when they ask themselves
what may be the result II It transpi1ss
that these experts. wrong week ago,
are wrong again now. 2.
What can America do? NothinG. n
France, for several months. But hare
at home, and today, America should be :
atoning for hAr delay and indocision
by positive action with but one aim
20 turn every ounce Of energy IN the
nation into war-malring power, to the
end that We may, at the earliest poo-
sible moment, have in France Q thor
oughly equipped and thoroughly Cen
plete army OF such size and strength
that 1t shall be able to cope with the
German hordes.
Civilization u at the brink Of ruin
today. The best we can hope y that
the courage OF the allied armies can
hold back the Hun until our belated
preparations are completed. Every
minute Of delay and groundless optim-
ism Increases the burden Of our allies
and puts q new and grievously unjust
tax upon their wonderful power o( re-
distance.
SANTA FE SUED FOR
$4,000 DAMAGES