Evening star., 1919-03-09

~ tragedy which some folks
take it, 1t is also big. beau
tiful, wide minded, creditable. reyjp-
aieatins' useful, patriotic--tale of Of
heers who quit the fighting front
by request, but equally in patient
comprehension to render better sery-
ices where better fitted. Again. there
are those who went to Blois with
black sorrow yet today bless Lieut..
Col. Wainer of Tours and hold their
heads high with good cause. But
surely there are others to whom the
name of Blois is hateful, synonym for
"a dirty deal" by "star chamber
methods where they got canned"
because---~-
II is of no use to spare the words.
They have been used in Congress-
and viii be heard again. In the
beginning there was crashing battle
with the boche and its surprises;
and there was Lieut., Quinn. shrewd.
courageous, willing 60 take RESPONSE
bility tsome one had to take re-
spohsibility). into a room, alone.
he took these sorro wing men rejected
by their superiors. and went over it
with them~~alone, G. H. G., trusted
him as psychologist. One who sat
outside the door heard AN old major
from Texas, one of the most nAu~
rnttai men of the state, read him
the riot act:
* 4
What do I WANT" exclaimed the
major Il want to go back TO the
good old L, $. A. And | win tell
you what / want! ! win hire me a
stenographer by the month, and I
Wi'l dictate eight hours per day until
| have told the truth about this sys-
temr'
Doubtless he was sincere. but the
major viii tell only a part OF the
truth--because he does not know il
all. Neither do |, VINO was ten
Nonths in Tours and heard so many
men rehearse their grievance, sa"
so many just saw wood in patient
new jobs and inquired SO diligently
OF so many chiefs, to learn The in-
wards OF it, But, anyhow, il YOU
trust me, | heard both sides of the
great VeNed, necessary problem OF
canning and reclassitication, fol-
lowing on the famous socalled star
chamber g. Q. 131.
Golden text In pandemonium OF
bursting shells gas, bayonet waves.
there must be such power--granted
in a general order As soon as
superior doubts the ability of any
officers under his command to handle
their men he must have power TO
relieve such officers, This power is
deputed by the supreme commander.
Nobody can question 1t, IL is one
man against 100 lives.
Central Truth--There Is no time to
hold court marital or board of IN
uuiry with witnesses. The enemy is
there and will not wait.
Here is useful case know OF
captain canned at the front and to-
day with an honorable record after
ward made IN the s. o, S. He arrived
at the front unattached. ready for any
duty assigned him---ready, resolute.
courageous, but inexperienced and
painfully conscientious. 1t was the
time of critical fighting on the Amer
lean front. His colonel said:
Here is company. You VIII take
il into front line tonight.
But | do not know the men, said
the captain. Il have never seen them,
nor they me. Let me take two days
TO get acquainted. win their conf
dence; and then Til take them over
the top and be responsible for the re-
Sults-A-"
II settled his affair, He was sent 10
Blois. The enemy won't wait for YOU
to get acquainted" he was told with
cutting irony. II had "a row with my
colonel" he explained to friends, as
frankly as. most. 1t did not end there.
REPRESENTATION was unueF way. Lieut..
Col Wainer. at Tours. gave him
heart to heart rehearsins of the pa
pers from Blois, and proposed to send
him to Il new commander in another
sector. Meanw hile, he had fallen into
specialized work at Tours for which
he was peculiarly fitted. A great war
chief, who had temporarily Quilted
glorious triumphs at Chateau Thierry
and after. to accept S. U. S. command
because some chief must do 1t, and,
i'll part. to give inspiring example to
these sorrowing ones-promised to
take him back TO combat when he
should himself so. So he waited.
..- x *
Recommended Nefses-And here is Il
side to 1t not told IN Consress--how
many cases were returned to combat.
Col. Wainer permitted me to take
just one glance at a chart The col
umns headed returned to combat"
and denoted to combat" seemed al
most as well filled as those of made
good in the S. o. s. and far greater
than those OF returned to U, s. A."
Denoted means the reverse of pro-
NOTED. Speaking of such, he said
They made good fighting in lower
grade, because their heart was in it,
And, take note. some of them had
done far seriously worse than merely
arguing about duty or revealing self