Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-27
WAR CORRESPONDENT GIVES
FIRST HAND INFORMATION
en- WORLD STRUGGLE.
DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT
PEACE WILL ENDURE
hs Endorses Disarmament But he
Hopes the United States viii Be
the Last Nation to Disarr--Orsss
Universal Military Training as
Preventative for Other Wars.

There were many who heard irwin
s. Cobb at the Methodist church
Wednesday night who expected to find
Cobb like many other good writer's
poor takers. While Mr.. Cobb assured
his audience In the beginning that he
was no lecturer, long before he HAD
finished the audience did not agree
with the opening statement. Cobb's
who pose az lecturers, and his descrip-
tive narratives of interesting incidents
over there" could not help but APP
peal to all who heard him.
1t was a most delightful talk. or
address, or lecture, as it may best
please Mr.. Cobb. 1t was first hand
information by one who had seem
Coming from one who long has been
a keen observer and thinker along
broad lines. the audience absorbed
many thoughts worth bordering over.
Discounts An Enduring Peace.
Interspersed with the more en-
crossing topics discussed were humor-
Gus tales which Cobb and other war
correspondents have heard during
their lives at the front. Also the
speaker introduced some human in
terest stories of which he has already
written, and which were familiar to
readers of his articles. They, howo-er
proved none the less interesting wen
told in a graphic manner by the man
who had written the original lines.
Mr.. Cobb does not believe in an en-
during peace. He would if he thought
such thing possible, but he does not.
He thinks disarmament a fine thing,
but hopes that the United States will
be the last power to disarm. He has
no time for the milk and water
brand of pacifsts, and scored them
roundiy during the course of his
closing remarks. Universal military
training was urged on the part of this
country. and had we been prepared
the speaker declared that Germany
would have been afraid to draw the
United states into the titanic struggle.
Had we listened to the pleadings Of
one who recently closed his eyes In
everlasting sleep. and others of his
Kind. there would, not be today fifty
thousand graves of American boys m
France. Mr.. Cobb declared. The
speakers reference to Roosevelt
Drought the most pronounced acclama-
ton of the. evening, and the talk thru
out was punctuated frequently by
hearty applause.
American Doughboy Best Soldier.
TO the American army in France
MIR. Cobb paid the highest tribune
possible with words. He considers the
American doughboy the finest type Of
soldier any nation ever produced, and
illustrated his, remarks with many
pertinent Illustrations.
As his first experience with the
army during the late war was with
me imperial troops of Germany, and
before the United States became in
volVed in the struggle, Mr.. Cobb, like
many others, felt that the Germans
were being censured beyond what they
deserved. He has changed his opinion
entirely. He has no use for the Ger
man army or military power what
ever. He has seen too much Of Ger
man atrocities not to change from
MS first impressions. II the Germans
had fought like sports he would think
more of them, but he found them to
be the most cruel foes while they
were winning, and the most sniveling
when losing. Therefore he would
iesltate now to feed them, especially
until he know that every little baby
IN Belgium had his belly full"
On tho Conduct of the War.
AS to this nations conduct Of the
war Mr.. Cobb spoke unreseryedly. He
said that he could say and write now
what he could not say and write while
we were in war. He decried the lack
OF efficient coordination during the
war and cited the woeful lack of keep
ing good the promises made to the al
lies early in This countrys participa-
ton in the war. He told of the little
army of a division, less than forty
thousand men, which Pershing was
able to furnish at the crucial moment
late in the var, and said that thai
army was not only almost wholly out
fitted by the allies, but moved to the
front by French gasolene. From this
army Of forty thousand men, however
1t grew rapidly to more than two mil
lions, and he declared that, in his
opinion, it was the great showing mad
o. forces available that had much u
do with winding up the struggle al
least one year sooner than most oil
those in charge thought could be pos
Sible.
National Modesty Needed.
Mr.. Cobb warned his audience that
as nation, We should not take toe
much credit for winning the war
There is, he thinks, too much disposi-
ton to take the greater credit, and be-
lieves that little national modesty
even if it had to be imported, would be
q good thing for us as a people. While
the United States may have won the
war in the end, it had been won 8
good many times long before this coun-
try began its participation, by every
nation involved, even down to little
Serbia, and that France and England
used to go out every few days and wiz
it before breakfast. Altho giving due
credit to this country, in the final par.
ticipation in great numbers on thu
battle front, Mr. Cobb said that hat
this country been four weeks later II
amassing its great army on the west.
ern front, he believes Germany Wouit
have proved the victor.
Mr.. Cobb was introduced to his au-
diapce NV ~ lMOScrip of the Times.