Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-05

VI udy Is Wudl luc 1eImduo
may do in the way of increasing
their submarines. On this point,
the thing that we know is that
they have already increased their
speed and range. That fact is in
the world of lis" can't see
why they should not be able to
increase the number of their sub
marines as fast as we increase
the number of targets for them
1t was just year ago that the
Germans adopted their unrestrict-
ed submarine policy. Presumably,
since they committed their for
tunes to it, they must have settled
upon policy of maximum sub
marine building And it takes
just about year for such pro-
gram of ship construction to get
under way.
Presumably the German sub
marine builders are just now
about getting into their stride.
It is gloomy picture that he paints,
and he does it for the very proper
purpose Of bringing American people
to realize that they did not win the
war merely by getting into it. They
were entirely unprepared. and they
have gone forward with the belated
preparations in complacent uncon-
seriousness that they were falling
short in the greatest, most vital es-
sential-speed.
1.-THE president several months ago
spoke of the 100000 tons of ship
ping we will build in 1915 Mr.. Sui
livan says, and continues. I'VE shall
not build them. Mr.. Hurley has
spoken of 100000 or 100000 tons.
We shall not build them. We shall
not build more than 100000 tons.
And 100000 tons is not enough to
avert calamity. What we are doing.
primarily, is not building ships but
getting ready to build ships"
This is no time for recriminations.
We are all in this war together. here
in America, and defeat would fall on
all of us alike. should it fall, just as
there would be enough glory to go
twice around should we win. But
this is proper time and place for sug-
gestions looking to an Improvement.
If there is any single criticism that
can be made of Americas course thus
far-and it applies no less to the
whole public than to the administra-
tion-it is that we have gone about
the business of making war from an
academic and theoretical standpoint
rather than from practical stand
point We have accepted as inescap-
able fact that we would win, even
tually, and we have complimented
ourselves and each other on the sac
rifices we were making to make. that
victory the more certain. or rather, to
give ourselves, individually. share
in the credit for destruction of mill
tarism and Prussianism.
We have not considered seriously
the possibility of defeat, and for that
very reason wes have disregarded the
importance of disappointing failures
to keep up with our war program.
To be sure, this does not apply to
everyone in America, but it applies
with sickening certainty to the great
majority. And it is greatly to be re-
GREETED that much Of the groundless
complacency throughout the country
has been reflection of the attitude
In Washington.
Instead of a war secretary selected
from among all the -00,000,000 per-
sons in America for his outstanding
and undeniable ability to take the
lead in building an army and prose-
cutting an aggressive war policy, we
have an idealistic dreamer. with So
cialistic leanings. pacifist tendencies
and, as his admirers tell us so proud.
ly. "a vision"
Mr.. Baker told the senate commit
tee America would have half mil
lion soldiers in France "early in
1913" and added that during the re-
mainder of the year there would be
100000 more ready to sail. Then he
said that the prospect for shipping to
transport and maintain them was mot
mpromising" The public. lulled in
to complacency by its own blind OPP
timism, accepted his figures as fact
and it was only after much cross-ex-
aiming that the secretary himself
admitted that he had not said the
100000 men would be in France
this year nor that ships were avail
able to carry them over and keep
them there.
America and Americans must real
ize that the situation is desperate. and
must rally to meet it with deter
mination born Of desperation. II it
develops, after while, that this is
a more serious view than absolutely
necessary. it can mean only that the
increased effort will have brought vic
tory so much the sooner
Every man who is able to add to
the nations ship building strength
should offer his services at once.
Every ounce Of energy the nation
possesses should be turned to the con-
struction OF ships. Every drafted
man in the environments who is cap
able of being Of use in the ship build
ing program should be put on that job
without delay and without red tape.
For we must have ships before our
army can fight in France.
Meanwhile. the department of pub
lie information should give its atten-
ton to the dissemination in America
of facts, whether they be ugly or not.
to impress on every citizen the neces-
sity for personal sacrifice as the
mems of buying future liberty and
happiness and the means Of perpetu-
ating our government. We have ex-
perimented and played at making war