Evening star., 1921-02-12
Editorial Digest
Mr.. Dawes "Mouthful."

AAAAs &c" AsAV NtAA4 VA
The testimony before Congress of
Gen. Helen Marian" Dawes. as the
Baltimore Evening Sun Independent
democratic) calls him. was "refreshing''
to the American press. II newspaper
sentiment can be gauged by the num-
Der of times that word appears in the
editorial columns. Despite the fact
that a few writer's seem to be shock
ed" at the Chicagoan's alleged pro
family. the majority of the news
papers emphatically agree with the fiery
condemnation of the smelling COM
mittees" which have been probing
Americas war record. But there are
striking exceptions.
Not every one is sure that Mr..
Dawes very human outburst ex-
plains away the charges of waste
Transcript independent republican,
considers that Mr.. Dawes vocabulary,
liners" is but "a poor substitute for
the truth" and the real criticism
against the "allegedly excessive cost
in men. money and materials" in the
war has come, not from the politicians
whom he castigates. but from the men
who fought and won the war af1eld
and afloat."
Yielding "all due respect to Mr.:
Dawes" the Fort Wayne News and
Sentinel (republican) feels that "the
waste and graft in France simply
cannot be defended" and concludes
that its defender Seems to be beside
himself" 1t was the spirit reflected
in his testimony. the Florida Times
Union (democratic) declares, that "en-
coL:aged grafters to charge for sup
its logical conclusion, the New York
Globe independently believes Mr..
Dawes reasoning would mean that
because "our boys and their leaders
fought bravely" all "rascals who
neglected or impeded them" should
be excused.
sympathetic with the personal de-
fense of the general who objects to
being called one" the Buffalo Express
Independent republican, still thinks
his sweeping attack upon investiga-
tions in general more profane than
businesslike." and the Pittsburgh
Leader progressive republican, goes
a step further:
There is no excuse for much that
was done during the war, and not all
his picturesque and at times humor-
Gus profanity, can make it seem right.
1t was too far wrong to be made right
by any ingenious explanations"
But most of the writer's. not alto
gether limited to one political group,
er-soldier. The baltimore American
(republican) is moved to parody:
A little ''cussing'' now and then
Is needed by the congressman.
The Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch Unde-
pendent democratic) feels that Ger
good. round. mouth filling oaths are
excusable" it Is under these circum-
stances. The Hartford Times demo
cratic) agrees:
"Righteous, indeed. was the anger
of Gen. Dawes at the fool arguments
and criticism which have been leveled
at the conduct of the war. and though
such expletives as he used are not the
usual thing in committee hearing,
the occasion perhaps called for force
fulness."
The st. Louis Star tindependent)
believes that the banker was right
when he said that there is no use In
throwing mud" at Americas record in
France Much of the investigation the
Arkansas Gazette (democratic) de-
scribes as merely mean. nagging poll
tics" The democratic New Orleans
States considers that "it is fine to have
from one OF the republican leaders.
patriot before he Is partisan. such
splendid testimony of what was ac-
complished under democratic admin
istrat.on."
Many newspapers which find them
selves in agreement with Mr.. Dawes
add to their approval full sanction
Of the entire elimination of the in
vestiEations committee. There is no
possible good to be. gained" says
the Columbus Dispatch independently,
"in parading the Inevitable wastes Of
war before the public after the man
ner of the average congressional in
vestigating committee" and the De-
troit Times independently remarks
that ''it is about time Washington
got through harping on war expendi-
lures and took a little interest in
what's doing today