Evening star., 1920-06-28

mately made our country the great
est creditor nation of the world.
War Achievements
Are Fully Set Forth.
And then the great war came on.
Ultimately, by the logical steps OF
necessity. our peace-loving nation
was drawn into the conflict. The
necessary war legislation was quick
ly supplied.
A War Finance Corporation was
created War risk insurance was pro-
vided Shipbuilding laws re-estab- =
lished Americas supremacy upon the
seas The Office of alien property
custodian was created. War In
dustries Board was established.
War Trade Board was created. FOOD
and fuel regulations were formuiated.
Vast loans were successfully foated-
Vocational training was provided. A
National Council of Defense was
created. Industry was successfully
mobilized
the nation were made part of the
war machine. and the miraculous re-
vival of the shipping industry filled
the ocean lanes with our transports
Our feet laid the North sea mine
barrage. We sent fighting craft TO
and inventive genius to the crucial
fight against the C-boat.
In transporting our troops TO
France we never lost man in
ship conveyed by the American Navy.
One of the first decisions was be-
tween the volunteer system and
the selective draft. Many patriotic
citizens strongly deprecated con-
scription and dreaded its nossibili-
ties. The administration, however,
placed it's influence behind the meas
ure. secured it's passage and made
nossible the winning of the war.
Civil War Scandals
Were Made Impossible.
1t proved a democratic system, as
surfing equal service. equal danger
and equal opportunity. At one stroke
hired substitutes that had disgraced
the management of the civil war
were made impossible. The selec-
tion of men to go to the front was
placed not merely in the hands OF
the civil authorities. but actually in
the hands of the friends and neigh
bors of the men eligible for service.
No fundamental law was ever admin
istered with such scrupulous honor.
Not one breath of scandal touched
this legislation. and so cheerfully
was it accepted that today the term
draft dodger" is an epithet of re-
proach in any community.
Partisanship was put aside in the
selection of Gen. Pershing as leader
of orr forces. and no military COM
mander in history was ever given a
freer hand or more unf1agging sup
port. The policy of selecting officers
through training camps avoided the
use of political favorites and guaran-
teed competent leadership for the
youth of the land. Ten million men
were registered within three months
from the declaration of war and
= T. .,,&r Dtf rae lot tyn
every municipal detail, were built in
ninety days.
In France We had to construct our
own docks. railroad lines, storage
depots. hospitals and ordnance bases.
We had to cut down the forests for
our barracks In June, two months
after the declaration of war. our
fighting men were in France: in Oc-
tober Americans were on the firing
line: in, scarcely more than a year
we had 100000 men in France. had
whipped the enemy at Belleau Wood,
wiped out the st. Mihiel salient and
delivered the terrific hammer blow
at Sedan that virtually ended the
war.
Less than two years ago Gen. Haie.
with the hluntness of soldier. said:
The British army is fighting with
it's back to the WALL; Lloyd George
was crying: 1T is race between
Wilson and Hindenburg." and France
clung like drowning man to the
rock of Verdun. turning agonized
eyes toward America. And America
came We challenge the critics of
the administration to point out how,
within the limits Of human possi-
bilfty, the war could have been won
more promptly or with less loss of
American life.
Things Accomplished
Not by Merest Chance.
1t was not by mere chance that
these things were accomplished To
readjust the processes of peace so as
to serve the activities of minor de-
fects and individual officials may for
time attract a superficial attention,
but the significant things, the great
outstanding facts plead eloquent1y
for the democratic cause.
Let no one misunderstood us. These
great affairs were carried forward
under the stimulus of American pa
triotism. supported by the courage
and the spirit of our people. All this
is freely and gladly acknowledged,
but surely the time has come when,
because of the calculated criticism
and the. premeditated calumnies of
the opposition, we are entitled to call
attention to the fact that all of these
things were accomplished un6er the
leadership of a great democrat and
a great democratic administration.
We have no apologies to make-not
one. We are proud of our great Navy;
we are proud of our splendid Army;
we are proud of the power of our
country and the manner in which that
power has been used; we are proud
of the work that America has done in
the world; we are proud of the hero
ism of American men and women, and
we are proud of the inspired and in
comparable leadership of Woodrow
Wilson.