The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-19
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1919.
THE HISTORY OF THE WAR.

The Rutland Herald assumes the
championship of history of Vermont
in the war with Germany written by
inexperienced and unqualified men.
John S. Buttles, the gentleman from
Brandon, fathered the move to have a
history written and the Herald gives
his conception of what the history
should be as follows:
Col Ira Reeves, former colonel of the
First Vermont, might tell about his
contact with Vermont s war problems
before and after he went to the war de
partment in Washington;
Col (now adjutant generaD II. 7.
Johnson. could tell something notable
about Vermont men in service, their
equipment and records;
Capt. s. S Cushing knows much about
the working of the seleetive service as
applied to Vermont;
| Mai. George II. V. Allen could have
something interesting to tell about, the
working of the local draft boards;
Gen. Clarence r. Edwards has al
lready said much about the Goth in
! France and might be induced to put
the same in more permanent form, anC
men like Maj, Ashley and Lieut.. Shell
don could write q whole. book if they
/ would;
James Hartness could tell about thu
Jailed aircraft commission, Judg,
| Leighton T. Slack of the work of tn,
Vermont committee of public safety
Hugh J. NJ. Jones of the fuel admins
tration and Frank II. Brooks of tn
food administration;
Melvin G.. Morse could write some
thing interesting about the work Of tn
" NJ. c. A. in France;
Mrs. Mary Stiekney Lawrenc
should be asked to write somethin,
about canteen work over there;
Lieut.. Tenney could tell some thrill
ing facts about life as prisoner il
Germany, and state officials like Gov
Graham, E. S. Brigham, NJ. B. HilIega>
Robert w. Simonds and others coul
all contribute something to such an an
thology.
We endorse the idea of having
history of Vermont 5 part in this grea
war but submit that a series of art
cles by the persons mentioned woul
not be real history 1t would be sim
ply a lengthy, unorganized, eurren
symposium on the war without il
statements authoritatiyely verified, it
incidents properly balanced or artfr
composition.
These men and their stories are SIM
~ a legitimate source of material fo
a real history-the raw material to b
transformed by trained and skillft
author into a finished product. Beside
a complete and correct official recor
of every Vermonter S part in the wa
there should he a co-ordinated, vivi
and interest compelling story of Vel
: mont and its men and its women durin
the whole of this historical epoch /
addition to things mentioned above
should contain a truthful story of VIVA
Vermont women did in behalf of til
Red Cross and in the war hospitals an
of the sacrifices and generous service G
all classes of citizens at home as we
as abroad.
The preparation of such book cal
not be properly undertaken as a sid
line by any man but should be ehtrus
ed to man willing to give the who
= of himself to the great and honorab
task before him. 1t should not be give
to an unframed person but to a ma
/ educated in investigation and researc
Il and in the art of expression. If this
II done Vermont viii have q history tn;
Il viii be a permanent pride and sati
: faction, we'll worth its cost, and Il
legislature has it in ifs power to nal
such work possible. We trust Il
r members win rise TO the occasion ar