The Colorado statesman., 1919-07-26

a candidate, his candidacy is IN no
sense product of the present war.
Politicians say Woods name would
have been mentioned for the nomina
ton, more than mentioned, probably.
If there had been no war.
No other war in which the United
States has been engaged has failed
to produce its presidential candidate
Reason for the Condition.
There Is a reason for the failure Of
this war to produce presidential can
didates. The general officers who
served in France did not come into
close personal touch with their men.
except in the cases of one or two ma
1or generals, and quite number OF
brigadier generals, none of whom, how
ever have been considered as consti-
tuting presidential timber.
In previous times the soldiers them
selves have not always been the prime
means of securing honOrs for thelr
leaders. The civilians of the United
States nominated and elected Grant
Roosevelts following in the Spanish
war was only that of regiment. He
was not elected president. of course,
Immediately on his return from Cuba,
but his record there made him govern
or of New York and vice president OF
the United States, an office which, OF
course, carried with 1t the POSSIBLE
ity, and in his case, the certainty OF
his becoming president.
The instant the United States en-
forad tho with Corp1onv the nOlicy
of the suppression of the names of
commanding officers went into effect.
Pershing's name was the only one men,
toned except that of the commanding
officer of the first division which went
to France. His name got into the
papers frequently through no fault or
desire of his own. 1t was printed be-
cause his division was the only Amer
lean outfit in France, and the news
paper correspondents then had just
one unit of American troops to write
about, and naturally they broke
bounds" and had considerable to say
about the commanding officer. NOT
long after this this major general COM
manding the division was ordered
back to the United States, and there
are men who think the fact that his
name, without his consent, got into
print, was the only reason why he was
ordered TO return to this country.
Why Names Were Suppressed.
The deeds of men like Liggett, Dick
man, Bundy, Edwards, Billiard and
some others were of high enough de-
gree to arouse the enthusiasm of the
American people and to insure their
plaudits If the deeds had been allowed
to appear in print with the names
of the men who, with their divisions,
had accomplished them.
The general officers who command
ed armies, corps and divisions In
France are some of them Democrats
and some of them Republicans. They
are divided between the two parties
about equally, in fact. Yet today no
one seemingly cares whether Billiard,
for instance, is a Republican, which
he is not, or a Democrat, which he Is.
Dickman also is a Democrat, so 1t is
said, while Bundy and Edwards are
said to be Republicans. An inquiry
has failed to disclose the politics or
Liggett 1t is taken for granted by
the politicians that Pershing Is Re
publican, although he seems to have
been silent on the subject of his
affiliations.
Possibly the American people do not
understand thoroughly why 1t was sup
posed to be necessary to keep the
names of the general officers out of
print. The Germans, long before the
war began, had perfect system OF
study and espionage. They knew the
characteristics and the bent of mind
of every high ranking officer in the
American army. 1t was thought 1t
would be an advantage to the Germans
to know just what general officers of
the American forces were on their i'm
mediate fronts. 1t was taken for
granted that the Germans, If they
heard this man or that man was on
the Moselle front, for instance, would
adapt their tactics in accordance with
their ideas OF the opposing generals
temperament and experience, or lack
of experience, in the field.
Diplomats May Shun America.
When several weeks had gone by
and no one had been appointed to take
the place of Lord Reading as the am
bassador of Great Britain to the
United States, wonder began to grow
in Washington. "Why the delayF
A jocose answer to the question was
given by q member of parliament who
suggested to the brethren that 1t was
possible the fact that the United
States had gone dry was responsible
for the dislnclination of any English
man of high rank to serve his country
in Washington.
Now, British humor is sometimes
past the fathoming. There were peo-
nile In these good United States who