The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-04-05
WAR EFFICIENCY AND
POLITICS Do NOT MIX

The following Washington dispatch
under date of April l., gives the lie
direct to reports which have been cir
culated by cheap politicians that the
Wilson administration is attempting
to make political capital out Of the
present world war:
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood is going
to Fance before long to command
troops in the field. That is the plain
meaning of the announcement that he
has passed the physical test required
for officers in the American expedi-
tionary forces. The treatment ac-
corded Gen. Wood is the best evil
dence yet offered that the present ad-
ministration has not mixed, and does
not intend to mix, politics and military
efficiency. For whatever habits of
,rp,iiiitt;;Ia, intrigue may have been in
discreetly practiced by Gen. Wood in
the past, his soldierly qualities and
driving power are to be recognized.
Incidentally, the manufactured con-
troversy over Gen. Wood is splen-
did example of the insidious attacks
being made on President Wilson. For
many days prior to the summoning of
Gen. Wood for physical examination,
there had been carefully spread cru
mors" and stories to the effect that
the administration intended to shelve
the famous soldier. The plain infer
ence was that the President would
somehow "tip off" the medical board
to disqualify Gen. Wood. Not only
was this reflection on the character
of the President, but on the integrity
of the medical officers who were TO ex-
anime Gen. Wood. Among these
medical officers were men of the rep
utation and standing of DR.. Mayor
of Minnesota.
The suggestion conveyed was that
the President and the medical board
would enter into conspiracy to side
track Gen. Wood.
If the administration were to con-
slider its likes and dislikes, Maj. Gen.
Hugh Scott never would have been
disqualified. He is the personal
friend of the President, and Secretary
Baker has for him the highest af
lection. So has Gen. Pershing and
everybody else. The entire War De-
partment hoped Gen. Scott could quail
ify, but he did not pass the test.
The necessity for physically alert
men has been emphasized by Gen.
Pershing himself. If the medical
boards on this side of the water will
not weed them out, Gen. Pershing
will. He already has sent back many
officers of high rank to do staff duty
here and has asked for younger men
for active service.
So far as the administration is con-
cerned, it sends Gen. Wood to France
with clean bill. His disposition is
entirely up to Gen. Pershing. Had
there been any politics in the case,
perhaps Gen. Wood would not have
gone. 1t is an open secret that by
participating in political conferences
last year, especially by his presence
at the famous meeting of Col Roose-
welt, Elihu Root, Senator Lodge and
others, at which ways and means of
defeating Woodrow Wilson for the
presidency were discussed at time
when Mr.. Wilson was Gen. Woods
commander-in-ch chief, a bad impression
was produced here by Gen. Wood.
Similarly the latter's part in hav-
ing political headquarters in New
York before the Republican national
convention was held, and the giving
out of statements concerning his
views on political questions, are re-
called. This reached a climax when
Col. Roosevelt proposed Gen. Wood
as compromise candidate for the
presidency in a telegram to the Re-
publican convention. All this, to-
gether with the admitance of Col.
Roosevelt to the Plattsburg camp to
make a political speech, an incident
that brought sharp reprimand to
Gen. Wood from Secretary Garrison,
now is considered past and gone.
Nothing counts now but military eff
ficiency, and few men are esteemed
in that as is Gen. Wood.
When the war began politics was
dropped absolutely so far as any con-
tact with tho army is concerned. The
President selected as commander-in-
chief of the army abroad Gen. Per-
shing, who is a Republican. He is the
son-in-law of Senator Warren. Re-
publican leader. Most of the high
officers of the army today are men
who got their promotions through the
aid of Republican administrations, and
presumably have been in sympathy
with republicanism. The man whose
job it is to handle all of the supplies
and equipment for the army over
seas is a Republican--Gen. George
w. Cocktails. Yet, whenever flaws are
picked, the Republicans in Congress
shout out against the Democratic ad-
ministration. Both Senator Lodge
and Representative Longworth have
made bitter speeches lately, insinuat-
ing that this is "the Presidents war;,
or "the Democratic party's war" 4
There are Republicans galore in
high Office today. Not only is the
army being run by Republican gene