The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-04-20

s-'-N oSSrNENs
sermon and as stirring as an appeal
ny Peter Cartr1ght. 1t was as simple
as syllogism and as deeply penetrat-
ing as the Kipling poem he quoted. It
was orator1cal without a single trick
OF oratory; it was eloquent but not
rhetorical; it was both convincing and
inspiring; 1t was a really big patriotic
speech.
1t is.a pity that so many excellent
men who are poor orators are being
sent out by Washington to bore the
masses, while so much really good
material for the purpose of rousing
the people is going to waste here in
the middle west from lack OF sufficient
use.
Versatility Wells M. Irwin never
Of gets full justice from
Wells M. Irwin. his fellow townsmen
because he Is so full
OF paradoxes. He made a patriotic
speech to the High Tension club pat
termed like this:
| An analytical description Of the
close parallel between the battle of
the Marine in this war and another bat
ago, with remarkable parallel of the
present Prussian militarism and the
description Of the same Huns under
Att1la found in Caesars Common
| taries, the whole proving the wide and
deep classicism of the knowledge of
Mr.. Irwin and that, mirabile dictu. he
remembers his prep Latin.
A resume of the history of the
squared circle from the earliest Eng
llsh heroes of the ring to the last
champion pugilist reaching the clear
conclusion that Germany never pro-
duced prize fighter of note-and that
Mr.. Irwin is as familiar with pugilism
as with omnia Gallia;
A dissertation on music and its es-
sentials cloaking a strong attack on
the Wagnerian school and ranking
Beyreuth low in the scale of musical
centers;
Some thoughts on the stupidity of
the much talked about pseudo-efficien-
cy Of the Germans, and various other
topics related to the world war.
All of which not only proved his in
tense loyalty. his ability as an after
dinner speaker and his enthusiastic
contempt for the Hun and his kind,
but thoroughly demonstrated that
Wells NJ. Irwin is one of the most yer.
static dry goods jobbers in the coun.
try.
Why the A whirlwind lombard.
Peeved Report ment with smudge and
ers Failed. smut of the operations
at Hog Island which
resulted in an investigation by con-
gressional committee ending in the
complete flattening out of the charges
and the signing of a contract with
than was originally contemplated
that incident, now ancient history,
was probably the reason C. w. Kellogg
took Hog Island for his subject at the
High Tension club meeting.
No more Illuminating picture Of the
titanic work being done by Stone 81
Webster at Hog Island can be i'm
agined than was the short talk of Mr..
Kellogg. His auditors saw the i'm
mense plant starting out Of the brush,
taking foot on square mile of piles,
growing hour by hour as planned in
the beginning notwithstanding I'M
percedented weather all winter, until
on the very day of the club meeting
the very keel was laid which had
been scheduled months ago to be laid
last Monday.
It is a job many times the size of
the Keokuk water power and is being !
in twenty-five months; over |
half as big q job as the Panama canal,
it Is being done in oneIfifth the time. |
1t is a wonderful achievement Of or
ganization and efficiency. And yet it |
was muckraked to the uttermost.
How can such things be?
The answer is easy to the expert |
enced newspaperman with a little |
knowledge of conditions. 1t was the
apothesis of the power OF the report
err, which is quite different from the |
power of the press. Men may sue
coed in their designs or benevolences.
or be elected to office. despite the
opposition Of all the pa
pers in town-but heaven help the /
man against whom the reporters de-
clare war!
Even at this distance 1t is pretty
clear that the Philadelphia reporters
peeved about som ething. later became
war. Newspapers may illuminate
but newspaper men never do that
they work quietly, insiduously and
definitely toward the objective and
play every card in the deck with skill.
Whatever the motive, they did this at
Hog Island and created quite a stir for
a while. Their campaign failed be-
cause it lacked just one thing-a solid
basis of fact The Hog Island achieve
nent now almost half done is so stu
penduous that, by sheer weight it
smothers picayune criticism Of details
n its almost miraculous bigness of re-
suits and its superIative Importance
% America in this war.
Hence, the fight of the peeved re-
oorters failed and one could under
stand why after hearing Mr.. kellogg. !,
Editorial Weakness.
Ohio State Journal: Man, even In
lis highest state of intellectual de-
-eIopment has his little human weak