New Mexico state record., 1921-02-11
NO VINDICATIoN FOR WILSON

Reports OF the testimony given by
Gen. Dawes before the House Com
nittee investigating the conduct of
the war appear to convey the i'm
preston that the witness gave the
War Department clean bill o!
health and heaped scorn upon the
Congressmen who have been charg
mg that all was not as it should be.
Secretary Daniels has seized upon
the Dawes incident as a complete
Iefrtati OF the charges to which
his Department and that presided
over by Secretary Baker have been
subjected. I'm the clear light Of
history" he exults. the great achieve
nent will shine, while the detractor
af Wilson's conduct of the war will
be despised ana forgotten" Very
likely the other gentlemen who fill
ed leading roles in the United States
while the war was in progress will
clutch Al the pituresque language OF
Gen. Dawes in IN effort TO save
their regulations much as drown
ing man reaches for straws.
Il Is true that the witness was
most vehement in his characterize
tiuu of certain men who have lcvclcd
unjust criticism n the conduct Of
the Army IN France. while losing
sight entirely Of the great achieve
mcuts accomplished by Pershing's
forces The public will stand with
Gen Dawes in the position he has
taken. But a perusal OF all Of his
testimony will reveal that the Ian
gIage re used 10 describe the con-
Il Al W ,.4 4f-sr
country while our soldiers were
fighting iu France was as full OF
yitriolic denuuciation as the words
he used 10 condemn the traducers
al the American EXpediuonary
Forces
Gen Dawes reminded his hearers
that the Army in France spent only
S 00U0G0 while the Department
and bureaus in this country eNpend-
ed Sl700.0O00O Of the peoples
money. There may have been mis-
takes and extravaGanccs in the hand
ling of the funds entrusted TO Per-
shinG's officers, but they may be ex-
cused in the light OF the vital emer-
gency with which they were CON
fronted. The public had no wish in
the political Campaign of last year,
and has no wish now, to dwell upon
them. But the enormous scandals
attending the expenditure OF money
an this side OF the Atlantic, and the
Seartbrea kisg loss OF months OF
precious time while the Wilson mis-
fits squabbled, were subject OF dis
Sussion last summer and threw mill ;
hpns OF votes TO the Republican !
column fIha. % hitter
now, and will always throw cloud ,
over the otherwise brilliant history
Of Americas part in the war. {
fnd Gen. Dawes made no attempt
TO beli,te those scandals On the I
contrary he condemned them as Wig
Drously as any other Republican has +
done. "The diplomatic system of ap- {
pointing men with ping tea expert s
rnces IN war time was a rotten fail a
nre." he calculated, referring TO some 2
II the Wilson diplomats" with whom l
he had TO deal in France. The sys- i
lem OF government under the Viii c
son administration he characterized (
IS "decentralized. bureaucratic, in e
and costly" The shipping i,
iasco made possible by the appoint y
nent by Wilson OF a Democratic \
'acific Coast politician TO supervise {
he building of our war fleet, cos'
he Government seven months OF
aluablc time in the opinion Of Gen.
jawcs He denounced the War De
isrtmcnt Tor its refusal 10 permit h
he promotion OF men from the rank Il
md ior the rrie requiring Officers b
yro were eager 20 go overseas. but II
-.r. Lent % homo % tuerr eff.r. -