The Dermott news., 1919-07-24

sense product of the present war Politicians say Woods name woule have been mentioned for the nomina tion. 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 n reason for the failure of this war to produce presidential can dldates. 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. ior generals, and quite number of hrigadier 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 their leaders. The civilians of the United States nominated and elected Grant Roosevelt's following in the Spanish war was only that of n regiment. He was not elected president, of course. Immediately on his return from Cuba hut his record there made him govern or of New York and vice president of the United States, an office which, of course, carried with it the possihll- ity. and in his case, the certainty of his becoming president.
 y,,tt Int an tered the war with Germany the policy 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. II 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 mandng inc 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 Iiggett Dick. man. Bundy. Edwards. Rullard and some others were of high enough de- gree to arouse the enthusiasm of the American people and tn Insure their rlauditS Ii the deeds had been allowed ta appear h 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. Thet are divided between the two parties about equally. In fact. Yet today no one seemingly cares whether Bullard. for instance. k u Republican. which he k not or Democrat which he k pickman also k Democrat. SD it iS said while Bundy and Edwards are said to he Republicans An inquiry haS failed to disclose the politics of Liggett. IL k taken far granted hy the politicians that pershing is q Re been silent on the subject of his affiliations.
 Possibly the American people du not understand thoroughly why II was sup posed to hc necessary to keep the names of the general officers out of print. The Germans. long before the war began. had a perfect system of study and espionage They knew the characteristics and the bent of mind of every high ranking officer in the American army. Ii was thought Ii would be m advantage to the Germans to know Just what general officers of the American forces were on their im- mediate fronts II was taken for granted that the Germans. If they heard this man or that man was au the Moselle front, for instance, would adapt their tactics in accordance with their ideas of the opposing generals temperament and experience. pr lack of experience. In the field
 Diplomats May Shun America.
 When several weeks had gone hy and no one had been appointed to take the place of Lord Reading assthe am. busSador of Great BrIiuin to the United States. wonder began to grow Ina Au gl4 th h.. 9,t.
 \ joeeSe answer to the question was given by q member of parliament who suggested to the brethren that it was possible the fact that the United States had gone dry was responsible for the diSinellHation of any English man of high rank io serve his country lu Washington. -