Show A Splendid War Policy The Tho appointment of Gen Perishing to command the American forces in France Is 1 beyond e ond No officer officer of of- In the United States army Is better fitted than he for that responsible responsible sible duty Nor can the president be too highly high high- ly commended for tor his pis decision to send regulars for the first serious work to tn tobe tobe be done by American troops In the war It was a decision that required courage an and resolution But courage courage cour age and resolution are qualities in which the president has never shown I himself lacking when he was put to the tes test t. t In his statement rejecting the sers services services ser ser- vices of the so-called so Roosevelt division divisIon division divis divis- ion the president has defined a war policy of such vital vita importance that It deserves the spontaneous support ot of all tho the American people After referring to the political advantages that might accrue from accepting the Roosevelt offer and to the to-the the personal personal personal per per- pleasure that he would derive from granting the Roosevelt request the president said But this Is not the time or the occasion for compliment or for any action not calculated to contribute to the immediate success success success suc suc- cess of the war The business now w In hand Is practical and of scientific definIteness definiteness definiteness and precision I shall act ace with regard to It at every ery step and In every even particular under expert ex- ex ex expert x- x pert and professional advice from both sides of the water This Is the only policy under I which the war can be won and the they pr president cannot hold to It too rigid rigid-r rigid ly lYe If It the experts of Great Britain France Franco and the United States States' acting act act- act i log lag together and ad working together for the common common end cannot bring victory then victory Is impossible j If It they fail faU It Is certain that nobody else can succeed I The presidents president's determination to tobe tobe tobe be guided 1 by y their counsel and experience experience experience ex ex- will save 1 life fe and treasure It will protect the country against the military blunders of ot amateurs which in times past have cc cost st the United States so 80 much and raised grave doubts as to the ability of the American democracy to carry on a great war without the most wanton and reckless s sacrifice of blood and money Undoubtedly the military experts expert will make mistakes That too Is the experience of ot the war Germany has had three different chiefs of staff since autocracy threw down its ItS' challenge to democracy The French and British alike aUke have hav been been compell compell- compelled ed cd by circumstance to to supplant old commanders with new commanders but in ea each h shift shUt the tho changes have hav been dictated by cold coM hard military considerations not by sentimental or political considerations and some of the most serious blunders of the war have come from tho the refusal of ot war offices to be guided by the practical advice of the commanders at the front President Wilson makes It plain that whatever mistakes the United States makes males will not come como through obstinate adherence t to defective defective- He has shown that since the theda da day he lie delivered his Ws war address to Congress when he be demanded demanded the enforcement enforcement enforcement en en- of the the principle of obliga obligatory t tory ry service He ha haa hau revealed It agala in his proclamation summoning the he nation to war under the selective selective draft and In the choice of troops and commander that he has made for the first army to France Mr Wilson is a historian He knows something of the tho price that the he country has paid In past wars for forthe forthe the refusal or the Inability of the government to wage war as war I Therefore he has bent all his energies energies ener oner gies to these wise wise policies that are area area area a new thing In our history and a mark land In our OUT progress Th The measure of public support that h he receives will be the measure of ot the American peoples people's appreciation of oC their responsibility to themselves and to the cause cause ause In which they ther are en listed World |