Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-13

! ctoi IVA ttlIIOtlS tIOOPS AZ
France and the United States. 3235
, Names Of Dead in France.
I Daily. in the official Bulletin" and
in the newspapers, we read the names
of those who have died in France in the
service of their country. Three hum
| dred and seventeen they number to the
date mentioned. A few We're killed in
action or while acquiring experience in
, the trenches. hut q large majority died
in camps from exposure and diseases
contracted therefrom.
! Equal recognition has been accorded
TO all in the official publication of our
! Government.
During the same period o91S, nearly
ten times as many. OF our young men,
no less loyal. no less brave. no less de-
voted. have died in the camps in the
United States, chiefly from causes
which it makes the heart sick to re-
count. They gave their lives to their
country and to the great cause of hu-
man freedom as freely, as manfuly. as
uncOmplainingly as their comrades
who happened to be sent to France
gave theirs. But we look in vain to the
Official Bulletin" or to the press for
their names.
For them there is no Roll of Honor
Why? Is our Government so fearful
! OF the fatal effects Of it's own handi-
work that it must needs deny to its
own soldiers the slight tribute of hon
orable mention? Is the necessity of
covering Up blunders and averting ac-
cuSatiOns Of neglect so great that even
50 little comfort Of natural pride and
splendid patriotism cannot be accorded
the anguiShed hearts at homco Is a
proper and righteous demand for Just
publicity again TO be pushed aside
ruthlesslE upon the damnaby false no.
ton of conveying information to the
enemy
Would Take Only Few Hundred Dol.
lars.
Millions OF dollars arc being eXpend-
cd by the sO-called Department of In
! formation i'll propa Sanda designed sole
~ to excuse and 10 exploit inefficient
in public office. Cannot d rev hun
dreds he allotted to grateful memory of
our honOred deado
Nothing. we take it for granted. can
debascd that it prints pages or refuta
ton by Cabinet officer of an arraisn-
ment ~ Senator Of the United
States, to which it gives a few Scant
lines.
But the congressional Record" is an
official document and still under the
control Of Congress.
May we not, then. in the name of the
American people. ask the American
Congress to publish in their own i'm
perishable record the names of all
American soldiers who have already
given their lives to their country ano
10 inscribe daily thereafter the na,ne,
of the thousands who are yet to die
upon
THE NATIONS roll. OF HONOR
to the end that the splendid sons or
the great Republic shall not pass into
the Beyond ''unWept, unhonord ana
unSunc:"
Can it be possible that the President
IS unaware OF the growing hostility of
the country to his Administration as q
consequence of common discomfort
with his conduct of the war? Is he. in
his self-imposed isolation obsessed
with the notion that the American nco-
pie are satisfied with the ways things
are being done. or, if done at all. done
50 badly? Does he really think that q
hundre! millions OF intelligent men and
women believe that he alone. advised
only by Colonel House and aided only
by Baker and Daniels. can conserve the
lives of the hundreds Of thousands OF
young men whom he has called to the
coloys and can safeguard the vital in
tereStS OF all?
1t seems Incredible And yet how
else can we account for the amazing
obduracy which denies to a coordinate
branch Of the Government the com
mon counsel" which he has so often set
up as an essential factor Of successful
rule by democracies? We make no
complaint of his refusal to accent the
War Cabinet proposed by the Military
Affairs Committee of the Senate. The
powers conferred by that bill upon a
subsidiary body are far and away be
Eond and without the scope Of reason
or OF common sense.
But the fundamental idea is sound
and practicable and must be accented
II TINS Is to become a peoples winning
war instead Of Presidents losing war.
Mr.. Wilson may, if he likes, continue to
regard the representatives of the people
IN congress contemptuously as DOW
der to be ground in the mill or as time
servers to be crushed under the heels
Oh partlsanship and patronage. but if so
ne soon Will awake with start to
feaiizatlon that. in this critical condi-
.lon' II is the Congress, not the Presi-
cent who has the backing OF the coun-
Try. How else can the recalcitrancy of
il1eiong Democrats like Chamberlain.
Hitchcock and Mcclellan be accounted