Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-03
Best Advice:
Let the Army
Run a War
History Says Politicians
Gum Up the Works .
BY DAMON RUNYON

AH
w probably the smartest OF
our war presidents, though para
logically enough he was re-
elected as the superlative
exponent of peace-as the man
who kept us out OF war"
Once that celebrated campaign
plank was a mere splinter, and
we were in the war up to our
necks, Wilson displayed good
sense by turning the war bust
ness over to war experts right
from taw and keeping hands of
them thereafter.
AS a result. he got great re-
suits.
JAMES MADISON was the war
" boss in 1912. and he and his
cabinet made a fine muddle Of
things in the early stages.
The country was wholly I'M
prepared for war, but an election
impended, and il is said that
John c. Calhoun. Henry Clay and
others who had control in the
two branches of Congress phen-
agled Madison into a declaration
of war as condition Of his
denomination.
The British Immediately pro-
ceeded to give us a humping.
Gen. William Hull tried to in
wade Canada from Detroit but
soon had to return TO that city
and surrender.
For two years things went
from bad TO worse. n
In those days. as in all oui
wars since, guy with the right
political connections could get
an officers commission in the
army, and our fighting forces
were soon loaded with officers
of that type.
AS you can we'll imagine they
were not worth a dime a dozen.
MADISON did get reelected
4'A against strong opposition.
but as the British continued
booting our soldiers about the
landscape. his unpopularity be-
came great.
Finally they took 10 wedding
out the incompetents in the army
and putting real soldiers in COM
mand - fellows like Winfield
Scott and Jake Brown who had
fighting education and exper-
fence - and the troops were
drilled and disciplined and man.
aged 10 win the battles Of
Lundy's Lane and Chippewa.
among others. TO cheer the ma
ton.
Even as late as 1914, however,
our defense system was so poor
that the British raided Wash
lngton and burned the Capitol
with scant opposition.
The war ended in late Deem
Der OF 1914. but they had no
telegraph or telephone in those
days and Andy Jackson did not
hear OF the peace treaty in time
10 prevent him giving the Brit
lSh a terrific pasting at New
Orleans.
We were going great guns
toward the finish. what with the
improved troops and the work OF
! our tiny navy on the lakes and
our privateers on the high seas,
though much valuable time was
lost in preparation.
| JAMES POLK. who wanteu
- land west of Texas for Amer
leans. sent Zachary Taylor
across the Neuces River to grab
II back in the 40s.
The Mexicans who occupied
the land resisted. and TAYLOR
beat them in the battles OF Palo
Alto and Resasca de la Palma
and chased them across the Rio
Grande.
Then he went on and took the
city of Monterrey and subse-
quently licked the Mexicans at
Buena Vista.
In the meantime. however.
Polk and his war department
commenced master-minding for
Taylor, who was no great hand
at military science but fought in
manner that gained him the
title "Old Rough-and- Ready"
The interference irked Taylor.
and he took blast at the ad-
ministration in a letter that was
published in the papers.
Naturally. Taylor was Off
cially rebuked.
WINFIELD SCOTT was put
w in command of the army
that later landed at Vera Cruz
and marched TO Mexico City and
Scott ordered Taylor to send
the greater part of his troops
TO the coast to accompany that
expedition.
Taylor protested but had to
comply and with the compare
lively small body of soldiers
left him by Scott TO guard
northern Mexico he moved south
and whipped Santa Anna at
Buena Vista. though vastly out
numbered.
The feeling in the United
States was that the administra-
ton had stripped Taylor ~