The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-02-06
The Conduct OF The War

In the debate in the Senate upon
the conduct OF the war which was
opened yesterday by Mr.. Hitchcock,
of Nebraska, a Democrat. the issues
should be clearly drawn. 1t is not
denied that Secretary Baker and his
assistants have done big things in 4
strenuous way. 1t is not questioned
that the President should be SUI
preme as Commander in Chief. No
one has assailed or sought to abridge
his prerogatiVe. The issue on the
one hand is whether the present or
ganization of the War Department is
ADEQUATE to the demands which the
greatest war in history Is making
upon it: and, on the other hand, the
issue is whether Americas partlclpa-
ton in the war would not gain IN
effectiveness If Congress provided
the President with a special council
or cabinet, not to exercise any OF his
authority. but to make plans and
propose the manner OF executing
them, subject always to his decision
on every point.
If the organization of the War
Department without supplementary
legislation is strong and supple
enough to stand the strain OF condi-
tons that were never contemplated
by Congress when it created the Va
rious bureaus and defined their func-
tions, then nothing more is TO be
said, and Mr.. Bakers plans to get
more and better work out OF his de-
partment should be approved by
Congress-; but it should be under
stood that the results to be obtained
must make Americas participation
in the war all that can reasonably
be expected of her. In the enter
prise America must be an important
and decisive factor. She must avoid
the mistakes of her allies, most OF
which, learning in the school of bit
ter experience, they have corrected
themselves.
Can Secretary Baker make his
war work more effective by shifting
his subordinates about and calling
in civilians to share the duties and
the work of those subordinates? II
he can, then the machinery of the
War Department simply needs read
justment, and new legislation would
be superfiuous. But these civilians
thus appointed to get precision and
speed out of the machine must nave
authority to obtain results not yet
achieved by the department in this
great war. Can Mr.. Baker invest
them with that authority? 1t has
been said that war is too big and
complex for the department as now
organized. Mr.. Baker admits that
his task 10 colossal. Consider this
statement made by him to the Sen
ate committee:
General Pershing's staff of ex-
perts and officers over there runs
into the thousands, and they are
busy every minute. and every day
that the sun rises l get cablegrams
from General Pershing from ten to
sixteen and twenty pages long, filled
with measurements and formulas
and changes of a millimeter in size,
great long specifications of changes
in details of things which were
agreed upon last week and changed
this week and need to be changed
again next week, so that what We
are doing at this end is attempting
by using the eyes of the army there
to keep up to what they want US to
do"
And to meet General Pershing's
requirements is only a part of the
days work. There are million
men in the States to equip, train and
keep fit. Millions more may have to
be raised, equipped, trained, and
looked after. officers must be
found for them, and the matter of
promotions must have constant at
tention: Billions of dollars will have
20 be expended with sound judg-
ment. Transactions with munition
makers are on a scale undreamed of
in the old days. If the task is not
too big for the present War De-
partment, the laws creating it were
a miracle of wisdom. The very fact
that Mr.. Baker thinks he can reor-
ganize his department and make it
junction satisfactorily seems to be a
reflection upon his perspicacity. OPP
timism never found more confident
expression.
Why should Mr.. Wilson not well
come an honest attempt to tighten
his burden and give him more eyes
60 see with? There can be no paral-
lei with Mr.. Lincoln's case. The Civ
il War President began by calling
for $4,000 men, later for 100000,
still later for more men, and in the
end he resorted to a draft. Mr..
Wilson begins by dealing with mil
lion men, with the prospect Of hav-
ing to raise double or treble that
number. The critical and at last
the decisive fighting of the Civil War
was done in Virginia, across the Po-
tomac river, and MI. Lincoln some
times ran down to see his Generals.
He was never long out of touch with
commanders in any department,
West or South. Congress spent mil
lions on the war to save the Union.
1t is now appropriating billions to
save democracy. The Civil War
was staged in ten States. The world
is the stage of the present war. The
Civil War was one of the greatest
conflicts in history; but the present
war dwarfs it.
Mr.. Wilson should be ready to adj
just himself to unprecedented and
stupendous, conditions, and he
should be willing to accept help from
a council whose members would be
appointed by himself and who
would work with him without en-
croaching upon his prerogative.-N.
Y. Times.