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Show HIE BULLETIN Washington Digest DID CUSTER ASPIRE TO BE PRESIDENT? Willkie's War Stand Jeopardizes Election Chances in Middle West Political Observers Believe a Strong Stand Would Have Been Popular; Politicians Grumble About Hatch Act.' Non-interventi- A New Chapter in the Story of a Glamoroui American By ELMO SCOTT WATSON troversy has raged over this battle. Critics of Custer assert that he alone was responsible for the By CARTER FIELD tragedy. They say that he was (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) WASHINGTON. hungry for a victory which would There Is a very regain for him some of the pres- strong feeling, among newspaper tige he had lost in the Belknap men and cither political observers affair and that he was deter- here In the Middle West that Wenmined to grab all the glory of dell L. Willkie may have thrown such a victory for himself. So, away the certainty of being elected they assert, he deliberately de- President of the United States by stroyed both the letter and the his stubborn refusal to take Issue spirit of Terry's explicit orders with President Roosevelt on the war and by bringing on a battle 24 issue. hours too soon he not only This is not an. to estimate brought disaster upon himself but the accuracy ofattempt It is this belief. he broke up a plan which would the obvious of the merely recording have insured defeat of the In- so far as this section of the country dians. (Released by Weitern Newspaper Union.! -- SEVENTY FOUR years Ohio, of a meet- ing unique in American politicsthe "Johnson Soldiers' and Sailors' Convention" of 1866. Although a relatively minor incident in President Andrew Johnson's historic struggle with Thaddeus Stevens and the other radical Republican leaders, this convention has particular interest because one of its pro moters and outstanding fig ures was a man whose name is glamorous in our military annals. tell another story. They admit his desire for a victory but they deny that he GEN. GEORGE A. CUSTER disobeyed Terry's instructions for In this photograph, taken by they read in them an interpretaHe was George Armstrong Cus nrady.in 1865, Custer wears the tion which gave, him considerable ter, "The Boy General With the picturesque costume of the "Boy latitude of action and fully justify Golden Locks," "The Murat of General" wide felt hat, blue flan- his departure from the letter of the American Army" and the In nel shirt and scarlet tie. d those orders. dian fighter par excellence until In the of heat their to dispute, the Tribune correa Sioux bullet ended his spectacu according overlook an incident which lar career in what is commonly spondent, "signed by the Rebel they furnish a clue to one of the Gen. N. B. Forrest of guerilla may known as the "Custer Massacre, Custer biographers are strangely and Fort Pillow fame, Gen. forces that motivated him. This incident suggests that, despite silent concerning his part in the Chalmers of Hood's old army and tne unhappy results of his preCleveland convention. Yet it was Col. Galloway of that notorious vious ventures into politics, he Rebel The Avsheet Memphis an important milestone in his ca reer. For it was his first venture alanchestating that the late Reb- was contemplating still another and that his ultimate goal was Jong a path which, there is rea el soldiers the same who masson to believe, he hoped might sacred negro soldiers at Fort Washington, D. C, and the White lead him to the presidency of the Pillow, and again, more recently, House! on the streets of Memphis, in Accompanying Custer on this united States! The story of that phase in the mass convention sent greeting to expedition was a party of Ankara career of George Armstrong Cus the Johnson soldiers here, and or Ree, Indian scouts, many of whom, including a fierce warrior ter is here told for the first time. said they had their sympathy." This waving of the bloody shirt named Bloody Knife, had taken That Custer was an active pro moter of the "Johnson Soldiers' by the Tribune correspondent was part in Custer's exploration of the and Sailors' Convention" is in prophetic of the repercussions Black Hills two years earlier. dicated by an editorial which ap- from this incident which were to Before Terry's army left Fort Lincoln, Dakota terripeared in the August 24, 1866, is- come almost immediately. Ac- Abraham sue of the edition of cording to Lloyd Paul Stryker in tory, Custer held a council with Horace Greeley's New York Trib his biography of Andrew Johnson: the Arikara scouts. une. Headed "The Johnson Sol Years later Red Star, one of Nothing could have done the Johnson harm than this the Arikara scouts, during an indiers," this editorial began: cause more message. The convention, upon "Generals Custer, Oix etc. urge receipt of this Southern message of good terview with 0. G. Libby of the in the late will, adopted a resolution thanking the North Dakota Historical society, their soldiers for their words of Civil war to unite with them in Confederate "magnanimity and kindness." This, In recalling the council, disclosed Thaddeus Stevens and his that Custer told the Arikaras "he holding a convention in Cleveland the minds ofwas sycophants, proof of treason. The to pave the way for a Forrest telegram furnished Sumner and had been to Washington and he his followers with new "evidence" that had been informed that this triumph in the approach Johnson hsd gone over to the Confewould be his last campaign in ing election." "All other circumstances unitThe Tribune was one of the deracy. ed," wrote Blaine, "did not condemn the the West among the Indians. He orconvention In Northern opinion so deeply said that no matter how small a leading this Incident." gans. But, granting the bias of as In victory he could win, even though its editorial policy, Custer must eral his "A Complete Life of Gen- it was against only five tents of A George Custer," Capt. the Dakotas (Sioux) it would have been unusually active in Johnson s behalf, else he would Frederick Whittaker, Custer's make him President Great Faand his chief not have been singled out for spe-- earliest biographer ther, and he must turn back as without apologist, referring di- soon clal notice, as he was in the Trib as he was victorious. In this aftermath of the une's coverage of the convention. rectly to case of victory, he would take admits first that Custer's The Cleveland convention affair, venture into politics, via the Bloody Knife back with him to opened in a big tent on the lake Cleveland Washington." convention, was an front of the Ohio city on Septemexone to and Later, during the march into tries he ber 17. The first dispatch sent cuse his hero for Indian country, Custer again the of error the back to the Tribune by its special with his Indian scouts. At talked in this ingenious judgment to Custer correspondent refers that time, according to Red Star: his Incidentally, misspelling Nothing hurt Custer's political and milsaid He he had made up his mind to thus: name) itary future like the movements of this go on this expedition to fight He said he Custer-defende- rs much-debate- semi-week- newspaper bombardment for the last years against the League of Na-- 21 fellow-soldie- rs la looking round on tht ad members of this Convention, ai thejr auembled for Dimness, i saw many whom Histories satisfied ma of their object In betas here. The most prominent and conspicuous was uinar. his earner is expiainea oj the remark of an Ohio delegate, who aid "Custar Is a man with a deal of hair, but very Uttle brains." Custar has been supporting the President vigorously Since his evidence before the Reconstruc-tio- a Committee and his reward was a promotion from Captain to Lieutenant-ColonA Convention will be per morning. manently organized Gens. Granger ana custar are spoken of as permanent President. So also la Rousseau and Steed man. There are a number seeking the position in ease of quarrel. Mr. Doolittle (senator from Wisconsin) will settle matters. Custar Is hta man. ... el That Red Necktie! But, as it turned out, "Custar" wasn't Gen. John E. Wool, a veteran of the War of 1812, as well as the Mexican and Civil wars and the oldest major-generin the United States army, was made temporary president Then, according to the Tribune correspondent's next dispatch, al Gen. Woop poor, foolish old man-ca- lled the Convention to order. On his d Custer, who right sat young, was easily distinguished by a bright red neck-ti- e he wore . . . Gen. Gordon Granger was made permanent President of the Convention. . . . Young Custer, too, was ambitious to have the honor conferred on him but gracefully yielded at the suggestion of Senator Doolittle. Custer felt hurt at this slight, and called It Ingratitude. He (elt that he was the chief spirit of the Convention, and the one who ft rat originated the scheme, but Doolittle sleeked Georgia's flaxen curls, and told him It was the President's wish that an older man should be selected. So the quarrel was compromised by putting Custer on the Committee to present the proceed-lng- a of the Convention to his Excellency. This will give Georgie a chance to apply vacant Brigadier Generalship In the for the Regular Army. curly-haire- Even though Custer was denied the presidency of the convention, he continued to be one of its leading spirits during the two days' meeting. The Tribune dispatches repeatedly mention him and by this time its correspondent had evidently learned to spell his name correctly! They also mention frequently his red scarf, that bright oriflamme which had been in the forefront of many a thundering cavalry charge during the Civil war. Apparently Custer was acting as a sort of secretary of the convention, for there is also frequent mention of his receiving messages brought to the tent by One of "the telegraph boy." these telegrams and the convention action which resulted from it created a furore later. It came from Memphis, Term., and it was, summer, all of which were due to his generous impulsive way of doing things. Honest to the backbone himself, ha could not Imagine that others were less so and he fell, as it were, into the midst of a den of hungry political wolves who would have picked his bones clean had he staid much longer . . . But he was saved from the consequences of his in discreet utterances by being ordered to ton Kiiey. It is no doubt true, as Whit-taker- 's statement implies, that Custer's activities during the summer and autumn of 1866 seriously impaired the prestige which he had gained as a successful cavalry leader during the Civil war. This should have warned him to keep away from civilian politics but, unfortunately for him, he failed to heed that warn ing. During the next 10 years the American public, which had once hailed George Armstrong Custer as the beau sabreur of the Union army, had good reason to applaud him in a new role that of the foremost Indian fighter of his day. Why he, having added to his fame as a soldier, should have ventured again into the field of politics, which had once proved so sterile for him, is one of the paradoxes of a career that is filled with inconsistencies. For that is what he did when he became embroiled in the fa mous Belknap affair in the win ter of 1875. He volunteered to testify before the congressional committee which was investigat ing charges ox graft against Gen. W. W. Belknap, President Grant's secretary of war, thereby incurr ing the displeasure of Grant As the result of these latest "in discreet utterances," Custer was deprived of command of the expedition which he was to have led against the hostile Sioux and Cheyennes in the spring of 1876 although he was eventually permitted to accompany its commander, Gen. A. H. Terry, at the head of his regiment, the Seventh cavalry. Disaster overtook him when his regiment was detached from the main column to locate the hostiles. For. at the Battle of the Little Big Horn on June 25, 1876, the Indians annihilated the five troops of the Seventh which Custer led into battle and inflicted heavy casualties upon the other six troops before they were rescued by Terry the next day. Controversy Over Custer. For more than 60 years a con WENDELL L. WILLKIE tions, the World court and any sort of European entanglement In Chicago the Tribune and the Hearst papers have been particularly vicious in their propaganda along this line. Willkie Advised To Stress 'Peace While "vacationing" at Colorado Springs, after the Republican convention and before his acceptance speech, willkie was approached by any number of men and women who appreciated this racial group situa tion keenly. They were sure that Willkie could carry every state in the Central west by merely keeping quiet on every question which seemed to lead toward war. They wanted him to refuse to say any thing mors than that he wanted to keep this country out of war. They were shocked at the "aid to Britain1 portions of his acceptance speech. They were horrified when he sanc tioned the exchange of the had been to Washington and had been given instructions to follow the Dakotas. Now that ho was on the war-patIf he had a victory, ha said, "When we return, I will go back to Washington and on my trip to Washington I shall take my brother here. Bloody Knife, with me. I shall remain at Washington and be the Great Father. But my brother. Bloody Knife, will return, and when he arrives home ha shall have a line house built for him, Now they are asking: "What is and those of yon present will be the ones appointed to look after the work that the difference between Roosevelt will be placed in charge of Bloody Knife. and Willkie?" You will have positions under him to help Curiously enough, the administra In what he is to do and you can, when you wish to speak with me or send me tion seems to have joined these unword, gather at Bloody Knife's house and decide what the message will be. Then successful advisers of Willkie in try he win send it to me. He will be given ing to drive him into the other camp, the whole tribe of Arikaras to be head When Henry A. Wallace toured Illiof. I will have papers made out for each of you here and you will have plenty to nois, the main theme of all his talks eat for all time to come, and you and was thumbing his nose at Adolf Hit your children. ler. In saying such things, was CusThat was NOT good medicine, po ter merely "talking big" (army litically, tor a state with such a officers who knew him well say heavy German population. But apthat he was given to doing that) in parently, the New Dealers are count order to impress his Indian scouts ing on Willkie's utterances on con and, by making such promises, j scription, on the destroy ers, and on did he hope to hold them stead- aid to Britain to offset anything fast if they should show an in- Wallace said, and to permit them clination to desert him at a crit- to do a litUe proselyting on the other ical time in the coming cam- side of the street paign? Or was he truly "showIt is certainly not a happy thought ing his heart" to trusted Indian but there is no blinking the fact that friends who would not likely be- Adolf HiUer has a lot of admirers in our Centra West tray his confidence. There is, of course, no way of German Votes Important knowing which of these two possibilities is the more believ- In Middle West States The tremendous importance of the able. But they suggest other inGerman and pacifist votes in this teresting speculations. Middle-Wecountry is not underesMore than once the American in the slightest degree by timated people had elected a military L. Willkie. He chose his hero President They had sent Wendell to support aid to Britain, to course "Old Hickory" Jackson, "Old support the exchange of the destroyTippecanoe" Harrison and "Old ers, and to support conscription in Rough and Ready" Taylor to the full knowledge of the political potenWhite House. Why shouldn't they tialities. Cur send "Old ley" Custer, the The fact is that he to conqueror of the Sioux, there if friends BEFORE his remarked acceptance win a should j he great victory speech that he believed he could be over the Indians? elected easily if he were willing to Were such thoughts as these in sacrifice, an convictions on the inthe mind of George Armstrong ternational issue. Custer when he told his Arikara scouts that he was going to be WILLKIE'S WAR STAND their "Great Father"? Was he Carter Field believes that Wilin event the of planning, victory, lkie's stand on the European war to enter the political arena once has seriously jeopardized his more and prove that he could chances of carrying the middle-wester- n well as as on the field win there states. He points to the of battle? targe German populations there Those Questions must remain which oppose aid to Britain. Polunanswered. The lips ol forever iticians of both parties are grumthe only man who could have an bling about the Hatch act but the swered them were sealed by law hits the Republicans hardest. death on a barren hillside in Montana one hot Sunday in June in This raises the question whether large campaign expenditures are the year 1876. really necessary for victory. h. st By RUTII WYETII EPEAXS agea. and this sketch a quiet study corner for one girt It is all very gay in tones of golden yellow and green and was made almost entirely of things already on hand even down to the hooked rug. SCHOOL The hanging book shelf doesn't really hang at alL It is made of a box screwed to the wall, and If you never thought of slip-coveri- ng As he put it be did not HAVE to be President but he did have to live with himself for the rest of his life. It is argued by some that Winkle was wrong even in his estimate that to take the isolationist side would help him. Those holding this view ssy that he would have lost more votes in the Esst than he would have gained in the Central West by a pacifist stand,, had he been willing to go Isolationist in order to win the election. This may be true, but the evidence seems to be against it It is more is concerned. probable that Willkie was rifiht that could have been elected easily if he Illinois is one of the great German states of the country. Its German be had taken the Isolationist side. This estimate of the situation Is population is huge in proportion. The same is true to an even greater not pleasing to the writer, for with extent of the neighboring state of a good many others he shares the Wisconsin, while Minnesota has view that to aid Britain is postponmore Germans than either Swedes ing the day of our own trouble that or Norwegians, though not as many every day Britain is able to fight ia as all the Scandinavians put to- one more day before we are In troublethat if Britain is able to sur gether. It is also true that this whole neck vive, our danger for the present will of the woods has been undergoing have passed. ly Rebel-Copperhe- on A Book Shelf for The Study Corner Four Central States Necessary for Victory The real point Is that if it Is con ceded as a basis for argument that this is a fairly close election and otherwise no political argument Is of any value because NOTHING would make any difference then there are certain states which are utterly vital to Willkie. First and foremost among these is New York, But right in second place is Illinois, with its huge German vote, and close behind are Wisconsin and Min nesota, with even larger German votes. Willkie MUST carry every one of these four states to have a CHANCE to be elected. Roosevelt could lose any three of them, assuming the election is fairly close, and be safe. Sentiment Is these three states, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, is very heavily AGAINST aid to Britain, If normally reliable observers are accurate this time. This Is not to ssy that Willkie has lost them. He may carry them alt But what appears is that he threw away, for reasons that one cannot help admire, the certainty of carrying them. Hatch Act Hampers Politicians of Both Parties Politicians in both parties are grumbling no end about the operations of the Hatch act In limiting The Recampaign expenditures. publicans, naturally, are doing the more grumbling, because, while the Democratic workers who want to get their hands on some money are just as greedy, the big shots in the party organization know that they have a tremendous advantage. Their workers are paid out of the federal treasury and are even more zealous than workers just earning a temporary wage, since the success of the campaign win determine whether the Democrats stay on the federal pay roll or not One of the restrictions against which the Republicans are most bit ter is that every cent spent since January 1 counts against the $3,000.- 000 limitation. It so happens that in the first few months of this year the Republicans paid off something like Now obviously $350,000 of debt there was no intention on the part of congress to count anything of the sort but when the law is perfectly clear in its wording it makes no difference what congress intended. There are lots of Supreme court decisions showing that, including particularly the Mann white slave act which did NOT do what congress in tended, but which for various reason has never been amended. This is really academic, however. of Willkie's own decision that the campaign should not cost in view more than El b wiTh fait COLOR. sfl&CiiW rarsnartTTo BOX SCREWED MNU AND " THEN III OA, CLOTH covorr wEN AND YELLOW COTTON rSUHT CtflrjMS EXTEND I OVER FRON-TYELLOW BIAS faWPINS St FRltL I a book shelf, here is proof of how smart one will look, especially if it is matched with a chair covered in the same material. The legs of the chair are painted green and so is the old kitchen table which has now become a desk. The yellow tone is repeated in the blotter and an old brass lamp and other desk things carry out the green and yellow color scheme. A shelf like this one would be attractive ia almost any room, even the bathroom or the kitchen. This box was so rough that the oil cloth lining was necessary. A box of smooth wood could be painted inside, i I HOTE: One hundred sixty of these bomemaking articles by Mrs. Spears have been printed la five booklets, eack 33 paces. Vhm stocking eat and doll oa the shelf are la Book S; directions tor the hook ruf are In No. 5; also descriptlona of the ether booklets. Booklets are 10s postpaid and should be requested direct from Mrs. Spears. Send order to: ' Mas. aUTH WTETH SPEAKS Drawer IS Bedford Bute New York Enclose 10 cents for each book ordered. Name Address Speech of the Soul Utterance is not confined to words. Our souls speak as significantly by looks, tones, or gesturesthe subtle vehicles of our more delicate emotions, as they do by set words and phrases. Indeed, the soul has a thousand ways of communicating itself. TurnbuU. iiidJiLii.li'tlAL r J ST PERSONALS Hi Melrose Ave.. HOLLTWOOD. CAUT. Success Secondary Man cannot ba gatisfijuf with mere success. He ia momM with the terms upon which suc cess comes to him. And very often the terms seem mora fmmrtane than the success. Charles A. INDIGESTION "ay ansct toe Heart K&IL'BSjg' add laSaiallue. If the Faith an Incentive Faith is the most rjaurerful In centive and the best nM n Ano ther progress in science. Dr. Birkhoff. JUST DASH SS&fAiirVM-Awbata- r " 'MiaUl in riATHiasTNr ' I $2,500,000. All of which brines un the Ques tion it is worth while for a political party to spend as much as has been spent In the last half dozen presidential battles. The difficulty is that it is hard for persons of college educations and cultured associa tions, for instance, to appreciate some of the thines that rjolitieiana generally regard as absolutely es sential. But Willkie. like most inteUieent observers, believes that a big traction of the money spent for cam paigns is wasted. Whether some of the cuts will actually be harmful no one may ever know. Do buttons chance votes? That Is a Question which would talc a lnt of skillful investigation to determine. Beyond doubt there are lots of people who like to be on the winning side. Certainly there ia little anneal to one's intelligence in a button, or an automobile placard, but bow the county chairmen seem to love them! me average man win not read a campaign pamphlet That seems to go without sayinz. But most Doli- ticians are not willinc to take a chance on eliminating them, despite the terrific printing and postage ex pense involved. WNU W 39-- 40 Happiness In Little Mm KemmkM ..iu tuai yciy i:aai. uiuar is needed to make a happy life. Marcus Aurelius. Help a? Them Cleanse Blood . . the TY a vj uvnilU kulaeys seaMtiam M300J Wuti set aa Natwe ttUXZEStHZ J2"EW aarrfai aekaeke. attacks at dissitMH. - E. I KUrT?d! ,or mr- - th " ."V00-""-" raeommcaded iT, eoeatry orer. Art by SL. - tony yMuZ reputation. tha jir jjtgf'' |