The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-22
THE DAILY EDITORIAL DIGEST
National and Nonpartisan Summary of Leading Press
Opinion Current Questions and Events
% Mere Luek WIN the War7

!
Detroit Free Press Gnd.). mot even
tho war department with all its blum.
dering was as slow about utilizing iti
services as was the navy department"
1t had benn assumed that the navy's
! part in winning the war was accom-.
plished with efficiency and dispatch
until the charges OF Admiral Sims
burst on the country like a 14-inch
! shell and started people wondering
whether the war was won in spite OF
the navy rather than because OF II.
But Germany was beaten, anyhow"
Mr.. Average erican is likely TO say.
why not be satisfied with that? Why
try to unearth scandals?" To this the
Pittsburgh Press Und) replies:
we arc not so secure from the pos
slbility OF future war. but that It is the
part OF prudence to understand just
where we fell short this time and adopt
precautions to prevent a repetition OF
the plumbers OF which Admiral Sims
complains"
The substance of the Admirars COM
plant Is that the navy department
tried TO direct the strategy OF the cam
paign from Washington. and that In
stead Of cooperating with the allies
In common plan against the enemy
1t pursued an individual plan of its
own. His three basic charges" as-
cording to the Chicago Daily News
Qnd), are:
THAT during the early period OF the
war the navy department violated
fundamental principles of warfare and
thus caused needless and costly pro-
longation OF the fighting; that the pol
icies OF the department during the last
half OF the war were Identical with
those recommended by him and re-
jected during the first six months and
have suitable plans when the nation
entered the war or else did not make
use of them in timely manner"
"A painful picture OF confusion and
delay" the News comments, and the
Seattle Times Und.) puts emphasis on
the admlrals opinion that these con-
ditions cost half million lives. S15,-
900, 900 in treasure and $500. 900 tons
OF shipping" The San Antonio Light
QndD thinks all this sounds bad for
Daniels and 1t points especially to
the original policy of the Secretary In
keeping our warships In home waters
because OF the submarine menace.
whereas:
1.-THE department should have UNDER
stood enough OF naval strategy to know
that the damage they could infiict on
this side OF tho ocean was negligible
compared with what they could do on
the other side, and that the best way
to keep them from our coast was to
them that they would have been
the Atlantic"
VIII Wilson Seek a Third Term.
Many Of those who regarded the an
nouncement of Atty. Gen, Palmer's can
didscy as a signal that President Wilson
himself was out of the race have since
revised their opinions and now see In
Mr.. Palmer's act only Il maneuver to
gain a general Endorsement by demo-
Gratis for tho administrations record.
They point out that such an indorse-
ment, while connected with Mr.. Pal
mer's name, would apply with equal or
perhaps greater force to Mr.. Wilson II
he decided TO seek third term.
At the same time II is realized that
Mr.. Bryan is bound to be n great force
at the San Francisco convention. He
Is understood to be irrevocably opposed
TO long tenure OF the presidency. and
was in fact the author of the one-t term
plank In the 1912 democratic platform.
Moreover Mr.. Bryan emphatically does
not want the peace treaty injected into
the campaign, but would make the
light on domestic issues. 1t is fore
seen, therefore. by political prophets
that n Mr.. Wilson's candidacy comes UP
at san Francisco it will be strenously
fought by the former Secretary OF
state.
The Tucson Citizen (Rep)is one of
those who prophesy Mr.. Wilson's cam
dldacy. This year will not see Hamlet
played with Hamlet left out" it decrares,
but, true to its political beliefs, 1t adds
the prediction that when II Is all over.
much like the masterpiece. everybody
who had anything to do with Hamlet or
Hamlet's ideas, including the prince OF
himself. will be deader
than the Loco Focos or the
Anti Masonic party" For the Citizen
Is sure the treaty must be the issues.
and therefore
"The democratic party must stand on
Tho Wilson idea They cannot repudiate
Wilson and get anywhere. Having so
declared in their platform. they must.
hen, nominate Wilson"
II is clear also 10 another strong re-
publican paper, the New York Tribune.
hat the president has taken an uncom-
TOR islng stand toward the senate for
The very purpose OF projecting his issue
nto the campaign and making himself
The necessary and logical nominee
Much" II says. supports this sur
mise. Son-in-law McAdoo does not
patheticelly begs for uninatructcd dele
tes. Mr.. Palmer seems equally DIS
racte1 The Hoover boomers appear
70 have encountered presidential orick-
ats, II seems absurd TO speak II a
hird term candidacy as possible. but
what other explanation Is there7"
III the republicans could pick out the
democratic candidate for president, Will !
ION would 30 In by a unanimous vote"
the San irrancisco Chronicle
.lndO. Is calls attention to recent
statement Of eX- Senator ]. Hamilton
lewis, OF Illinois, once, and perhaps
still. near and dear to President WI
,on." that the democratic convention
might renomnate him despite any
hing the president wishes"
III we understand J. Ham correctly"
comments the Chronicle, what he
means IL that the democracy feels that |
'ince its present desperate condition is
iue solely to the presidents antics. II
loes not promise TO let the author OF It's |
misery get away. hut will compel him 10 |
stand up and take his medicine. When |
he vote comes the democrats are deter |
mined that It shall be on Wilson and
not on them
Tho Washington correspondent OF tho |
AEe-Herald (Dem) says |
fatty that President Wilson will accept |
Tho nomination Il offered to him on the |
basis Of the league OF nations as the |
ssue. But cditorally the Age Herald |
regards ''all speculation based on the |
PRESIDENTS plans for the future" az 1.-THE |
ncroSt surmiSc." II thinks Mr.. Wilson's
health may be an obstacle:
Grave doubts are expressed, II SAYS, |
as 20 the consequences were Mr.. VII |
" campaigning He may be almost well, |
'ut he IS not young man by any |
means. and he lacks tho strength 10 |
20 through another strenuous political |
battle. Doctors have expressed the |
,p'rion that any undue strain world |
probably prove fatal
And regardless of what decision the |