The Winslow mail., 1923-02-09

llllnA lIldI lIle reaction ID the
public mind from war and mill
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 Repub-
hcans in law-making places think that
the mental attitude of the United
States ought not to prevent proper
recognition Of the 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 H. Dickman,
Maj Gen. Enoch H. 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 it did this
largely on the urging of the people OH
behalf of the men for whom promotion
was proposed. Today few people seem
to care whether the men who did all
that was in them in the World war
receive any reward or not. Such re-
ward as can come to them will be in
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 Lig-
gett. He commanded over one million
men in battle, five times as many as
were under the orders of a1v one gen.
eral Of the Civil war. Liggett was a
fighting soldier and a successful one.
He commanded an army, huge army,
ard yet today he is on the retired list
of the service with the rank of that
of man who commands only 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. 1t
was Crowder who framed and direct
ed the draft after the United States
entered the war. The process Of the
draft was carried through withou! dis
turbances and without scandal. 1t was
said to be the greatest perfolmanc 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 a situation and saved the coun-
try.
AS for General Dickman, it was as
major general that he commanded the
Third division which hurled the Ger
mans back over the Marine and turned
the tide toward victory. Later he COM
Il
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 it's 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 q sense made war on war, for
| it will be remembered that even the
advanced pacifists of the country de-
clared that the last war might after
all be right because it was to make
war impossible in the future.
Some time ago congress refused to
honor a certain navy official because
1t 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 a man who served
them well does not necessarily carry
with 1t an Endorsement Of war.
Mrages of the North.
Cipo;1or In origin tO the mirage of