Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-05
REPUTATION WREcKERS AND
A FlERY-fONGUED GENERAL
In Bad Language Dawes, Of Chicago,
Read a Good Lesson to the Sher-
locks Of Congress

nECENT respect for the conventional
~ forms of thought and uttcranCc is one
thing. Blind, unCritcal and unQuestiOning
worship of these same forms is. on the
other hand, dangerous business. For every
man who ever did anything really great has
At some time to play havoc with rules re-
vCrcd by lovers of safe and comfortable and
unprogrCssivc routine. lie had to kick down
barriers that are always rising to hedge in
gallant and exploring minds.
BrigadiCr General Charles G.. Dawes, a
Republican and a banker, who became pur-
chasing agent for the \. +. +. when they
wouldn' { let him into the artillery, did this
when lie was summoned as witness by the
House war. Investigating committee. He
made profanity useful, for once at least
He became one of the Shining Ones of this
unhappy time. He managed to make himself
heard at the furthCst ends of the country
with thoroughly honest dcnunciatiOn of the
particular sort of political jaCkal whose de-
tcrmincd efforts to bclittle the work Of the
military administration have become little
less than n public nuisance.
Tho spectacle of snooping. sncering,
snivcling crowds of self appointed inQusitors
and avengers, interrupted suddenly at the
task of throwing dirt in the faces of men
who rendered exalted service to the country.
was about the most cheerful thing that has
Happened In the United States since the
Fourth of July.
About dozen mon like Dawes might work
many bright miracles in Washington. Any
fanciful embellishments of conventional Eng
ltsh speech would be permissible to them if,
By that means, a rational sense of RESPONSE
biity could be restored to those who enter
ing party politics, feel that they have to
check their souls outside.
Dawes swore. He swOre colorfully and
repeatedly. He merely used verbal dyna-
mite to blast Il way into the newspapers and
into tho public COusciousriess for truths that
have waited too long to be uttered and un-
dorStood. The result was admirable Con-
crc>~ional war Investigations devised for
partisan ends will never be the same again.
Since Congress never appoints commits
SiOns to invcs ,gate itself, since no formal
reports are ever issued to reveal the errors
or the wrongdotngS of professional politi-
clans, no one will ever know how much time
and money has been wasted in Washington
since the arnistice was signed to make
achievement look like failure and to make
devoted men appear mean, to make noble
Cfor'~ seem puerilc and great service some
how dishonest.
After two years the wrcckug gangs have
only their own failure to report The poison
squads have managed merely to set deadly
rumorS uilout in the air and to stir mud
into til" currents Of national thought. When
the dust and dirt have settled. the things
that "" achieved in the days Of the war a..
aftcrward will remain clearly visible ~ rn.
paralleLcd examples of greatness of mind and
greatness of Spirit--as unmatched achieve
mcnts not only in military organization. but
in the almost uncXplOrcd field Of humane
PHILOSOPHY.
Th" growth and Development Of the army
wa Il miracle Of science vtali@cd hy in