Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-29

he read before any questions were put
to him was riddled by the committees
interrogations. He WAS forced to adj
NIT the untruth of many Of his princt-
pal statements. Altogether he was
sorry figure as witness and a sorry
figure as the head Of that department
on which the nation depends for the
organization, equipment and ultimate
victory of our armies.
The fact that he had been deceived
is not an adequate excuse for his lack
Of knowledge nor for the failure OF his
department. It was his business not
only to know the facts but to have cor
rected the errors.
Not knowing the facts, he could not
reveal them to the president, his su-
perior, and it is entirely understand
able that Mr.. Wilson should have &C.
cepted the secretarys optimistic state
ment rs truth.
Up to that point, then, Mr.. Wilson
suffers no real damage to his prestige
and there appears no reason for
diminution of the confidence the pub
lie has placed in him.
But having learned the facts, and
having been apprised. as he has now,
OF the many regrettable and avoidable
short comings of the war department
for which Mr. Baker Is technically and
morally responsible, the president can
not expect to retain the measure OF
confidence which the public has re-
posed in him unless he admits he was
misinformed and joins hands with the
senate's military committee, body
dominated by democrats, to reform, re-
organize and rejuvenate the govern
ment's war making machinery.
Mr.. Wilson is at the turning point.
Thus Tar during his administration. In
GLIDING the years before the nation
entered the war, he has enjoyed the
respect and confidence of the great
bulk of Americas citizenship to de-
gree which is almost without prece-
dent in the experience Of other presi-
dents Even the remarkable exposure
of facts which are self evident. now
that Secretary Lansing- has published
some of the records of German trick
cry in America, failed to create the
sensation that seemed inevitable last
fall when the first revelations came
from the secretary of state.
The discoveries of Teuton plots In
America and of the various ramifica-
tons Of Prussian duplicity which made
it certain that the United States must
enter the war we're made during Pres
ident Wilson's first administration.
The facts were known to the high Off
Gals Of the government and kept pro-
found secrets by them, during the cam
paign in which the most potent slogan
and the key to a sweeping victory at
tho polls was "He kept US out of war"
It is astounding that with the knowl.
edge Of conditions which none but the
highest offic Gals of the government pos
sessed, the country was permitted to
drift along for months In ignorance OF
its peril and finally to plunge into the
most gigantic Of wars in an almost I'M
belieyable state Of unpreparedness.
It is no less astounding that Secre-
tary Baker, a pacifist without knowi-
of war or inclination for 1t, lacking ex-
perience Of national or international!
politics, should have been entrusted
with the most important cabinet posi-
ton at such time.
For months The Courier has re-
Trained from saying these things. hop
ing against hope that the confidence
which the bulk Of Americas citizen
ship gave to the president would be
justified finally by the removal of the
war secretary aud by executive action
for the creation Of an efficient war
cabinet. We have criticised Mr. Bak-
er's department aud have joined In the
disc ussion Of suggestions for remedy
ing the evils which were so evident.
But because, under our own form OF
the president and the gov
eminent itself are SO nearly Identical,
we have endeavored to foster conf
dence in the government by doing
nothing to lessen confidence in the
president.
BY his own act Mr.. Wilson has made
it impossible to continue in this course
with a clear conscience. He has de-
clared in a formal statement that the
war department as Secretary Baker
has conducted it has his entire approx
al: he has branded as untrue the asser-
ton that the Baker administration has
been a failure and his only admission
that there have been any errors is in
the remarkably weak sentence which
was a part of his TRADE against Mr..
Chamberlain: mo mistake has been
repeated"
There still is time for Mr.. Wilson to
reinstate himself in the esteem of that
great proportion Of the American pub
lie which cannot regard his assump-
ton OF responsibility for Mr.. Bakers
course as guarantee that that course
was right II he should remove Mr..
Baker and replace him with a red
blooded, war-making secretary Of war
he would stamp himself as truly
worthy of the presidency. II those
members of the house and senate who
are bound to vote as he dictates should
be given leave to enact the measures
for a ministry of munitions and war
cabinet, the need for Mr.. Bakers re-
tirement practically would disappear.
1t is The Courier's hope that the