The Colorado statesman., 1923-02-10

tary affairs generally has worked
gross injustice to officers who did fine
things for their country during the
World war. Everybody realizes that
] this land of ours is tired of hearing
of war and of wars happenings. but
some Democrats and some Eepub-
llcans In lnw-makIng places think that
the mental attitude OF the United
States ought not to prevent proper
recognition of tie services of men who
were willing to give all that they had
to their country in time of need.
There Is a proposal In congress to
confer the rank of lieutenant general
on these officers on the retired list OF
the American army who have reached
the age limit Maj. Gen. Hunter Lig-
gett, Maj. Gen. Joseph II. Dickman.
Maj Gen. Enoch ~. Crowder and Maj.
Gen. Leonard Wood.
After the war between the states
congress honored by promotion to the
rank of lieutenant general several Off
GERS of high service, and 1t did this
largely on the urging of the people on
behalf of the men for whom promotion
was proposed. Today few people seem
to care whether the men wa1 did all
that was In them in the World war
receive any reward or not. Such re-
ward as can come to them will he in
a way only sentimental. but so far the
reaction against anything which sug-
gests war or hono~s is preventing the
American people from asking that
their servants in the time of crisis
shall be honored as other servants in
like times have been honored before.
Great Service of These Men.
Take the case of Major General IiG-
gett. He commanded over one million
men in battle, five times as many as
were under the orders of anv one gen
eral of the Civil war. Liggett was II
fighting soldier and a successful one
He commanded an army, huge army,
ard yet today he Is on the retired lisr
of the service with the rank of that
of a man who commands only a diyi-
sion.
And there is Major General Crowder
Judge advocate general of the United
States army. who is about to retire
after fOrty-five years of service. Ii
was Crowder who framed and direct
ed the draft after the United States
entered the war. The process Of the
draft was carried through wlthdu. dis
turbances and without scandal. 1t was
said to be the greatest performance of
like kind in history.
Major General Wood was an apostle
of preparedness. 1t is not only def
initely said today, but it is definitely
known that If Wood had not insisted
on the establishment of the training
camps the draft army of the United
States would have had no trained Off
GERS. Military men say that Wood
saved q situation and saved the coun-
try.
AS for General Dickman, 1t was rs a
major general that he commanded the
Third division which hurled the Ger
mans back over the Marne and turned
the tide toward victory. Later he COM
manded the First corps In the Argonne
and later yet the army of occupation
In Germany.
Why Some in Congress Object.
There are great many reasons why
congress is not anything like unani-
mously inclined toward the proposal
TO honor men who the records show
deserve honor. The chief reason is
the mental attitude of the constituents
of the congressman toward war and
military affairs generally. Washing
ton has evidences every day not only
that the people want to forget the
war, but that they are perfectly willing
to forget the men who served them
during the war, barring. only of course
those who suffered from its bullets
and its physical hardships. The
friends here of the army that served
and saved urge that the country can
not afford to forget the men who
brought success to American arms,
and In a sense made war on war. for
1t will be remembered that even the
advanced pacifists of the country de-
clared that the last war might after
all be right because 1t was to make
war impossible in the future.
Some time ago congress refused to
honor a certain navy official because
It was said he talked too much. This
officer served his country, with great
distinction in high place. He did talk
some but he talked with the courage
of sailor and he paid the penalty.
What he said was generally believed to
be true by the men who objected to
his saying it, but the argument of
some men is that the truth should not
always be spoken.
Some of the army men say they hope
one day the people will remember that
the honoring of man who served
them well does not necessarily carry
with 1t an Endorsement of war.
Mirages of the North.
Similar in origin to the mirage or
the desert are the mock suns Of the