The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-12
LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
Points Out Some Republicans in Service

olnts Oul ooihc NcpupiedHs III oSiFieS
Editor of Barre Times:
Several times editorials have appeared
in your paper indicating that the gov.
eminent was using only Democrats and
not Republicans for present emergency
| Partisanshlp has gone so much out OF
fashion that we do not even know the
| politics of many of the men conducting
government work. But we do know that
the president selected two able Republi-
cans, w. II. Taft and H. II. Dawson, TO
conduct the activities of the Red Cross
and another well known Republican, Gar
field, as fuel administrator. As TO poll
tics of Hoover the food administrator,
Hurley, ship administrator. Goethals,
traffic administrator for army supplies.
and the many able men giving their en-.
tire time on advisory and managing
boards at Washington, no mention at all
has been made. We cannot forget that
Root, probably the ablest Republican
statesman. was given the most difficult
problem to date in his mission to Russia
and that two OF the ablest business men
of the country, Vanderlip, who is acting
as right hand man for McAdoo, and Dayi-
son, who conducts the business end of
the Red Cross, are both Republicans.
The only basis for criticism mentioned
seems TO rest wholly on RooseveIts fail
ure to conduct the war personallyeon his
own terms, which so far as is publicly
known consisted of his demand TO lead
a personal army in France, though prob
ably he would consent to take the presi
dents place If he would resign. Coop
GRAFTON, Cancellation, tact and steadiness
are the qualities chiefly demanded of ma
tional administrators and advisers in
present emergency; qualities which Mr.
Roosevelt, in the past, has seemed to be
lacking in, He has reputation more
for starting row and calling names,
than for pulling steady in harness, treat
ing his colaborers as superiors, or even
as equals. In fact he makes himself i'm |
possible by his inability to subordinate. |
and since the army authorities did not |
give him an army in France his general /
attitude has been that of hostility rather /
than support to his governments admin
istration of affairs, and forms basis for
untold criticism and squibs like your edi
torial which led me to write the fore
going. John Wilson.
Bethel, Vt.
Ht eullbIldl 10 Witch WI. w iiSOH re-
fers undoubtedly was one suggesting
hat the nation has two ex-presidents,
who might be of considerable service to
he government at the present luncture,
VI course, Taft is connected with the Red
ross, but his work there is not in a gov
capacity; and SO far as we are
lware Taft never has been called into
'ouncil by the present administration on
var affairs. As to Roosevelt, there is
till wide difference of opinion among
he American people, whether or not he
would muss things up. if he were called
o some sort Of service: but we are in
lined to think that Roosevelt would put
ust the sort of punch" into American
var activity which is greatly needed at
he present time, acting, of course, in
omplete cooperation with President
wilson and the administration. We do
ot think the majority of the American
eople would like to have Roosevelt in :
he presidents chair at the present time.
ut they would like to see him put a
title of his characteristic "go" into the /
lans now being carried out.-Ed.l h