Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1919-01-16
E DIT @ r L
ERRORS OF OMISSION AND COMMISSION.

&, ssGoverner Henry Allen of Kansas, a trained newspaper
man, who served as a Red Gross worker in France is also
back home and is making some interesting revelations con
corning alleged incompetency, of worse, OF war department
representatives overseas. No doubt further revelations along
rs similar lines will be made as other volunteer officers are
released from duty and the obligations to silence that mill
i tary service imposes. Under the circumstances, it is perhaps
no wonder that the democratic chairman Of the senate
appropriations committee insists upon further information.
before placing the committees 0. X. on that Sl00D00,O00
appropriation. Aberdeen Daily News, Jan. Is.
1t is too bad that brethren otherwise. well intentionyd lend them
selves to partisan criticism. The fact that a person IS a trained
newspaper man is no especial recommendation as a critic-at
least, no more so than if he We're a trained physician, or a trained
farmer, or a trained nurse.
It is probable that all the errors 10 which humanity is heir were
committed during America part in the great war; it would not be
surprising II the errors We're even more numerous and graVer than
usual under war conditions, because haste was a factor: haste in
preparation, haste in execution. Some of these errors were appalling
no doubt, and seem utterly inexcusable to fellows standing around
On the edges.
The same sort Of criticism that we now hear concerning the con.
duct OF the war was heard in 1incolns time. Partisan critics were
even more bitter by far than any Of Mr.. Wilson'S critics or critics Of
any phase OF the war have yet become. The same sort Of chaps were
y numerous during and at the close Of the spanish-American war
lneonpetency, and worse, ws charged against many Of the bu.
reaus and departments concerned in the conduct of America s par
in that conflict. Even the late Colonel Roosevelt did not escape
criticism, although filling but a minor part IN the struggle.
Such haste as characterized America preparation following the
declaration. OF the existence Of a state of war in April, 1917, hm
never hitherto been known in all the worlds history, No such arm
was ever before formed out Of raw material i'll men and munitions
g thrice fhe period Nossuch equipment for fighting was ever before
gotten together N IL qnadruping Of the time.
The BED Cross the Young Mems Christian Association. and va
laous other auAlllarIes IN the war work freely admit that blnnders
were nude 2 = their part due, in q measure, to inexpeienee in som
b instances lncompetency IN others, and evil intentions in not 4 fey
asses ihe war department is responsible for its proportion Of
errors.
81 ai men VINO 1aIled to measure ZIP to their tasks had their iust
ueseItso y stltutio Tor the feeblelninded would be overcrowded
y ala me parties guilty Of crookedness i'll connection With The con
aaet rs the war were jailed it would Be necessary to build additions
Ntosotr county and state bastles.
Let us illustrate. One Of the big-fye backing institutions so,sb4
3 sunload upon the government, for the use Of our soldier bows. 4
Nlalge ,qoaaafy ofs tainted meat--roundabout five hundred thousand
AasAsass iHis meat had previously been rejected BY the war de-
lartment 8 inspection. Il was shipped back to the warehouse. Or pack.
ahe paan1 1 l Wrapping removed, the mold scraped of. the hams, the
@NaOles CONSIGNMENT streatel8 again wrapped and once again sold
#o 1e Waf uepartnlent. IT passed tile first inspection Oh It's second
s7np 1posslDiy due to the use of i little grease along the way)
aaAe nall reached the conanissary department, where another iii.
hpeetor, proDably either q little shrewder OF u little less susceptible
oaontsfae anHlcnces, detected its character and again rejected II.
Nere the parties responsible for trying, for the second time. to