“DEBUNKING” GEORGE WASHINGTON

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 116, 14 February 1928, Page 3

“DEBUNKING” GEORGE WASHINGTON

THE REVOLUTIONARY DESERTERS When His Honour -Mayor William Hale Thompson, of Chicago (“Big Hill”) sees the second volume of Air, Rupert Hughes’s Life of George Washington, he will hardly be able to do less than order it to be burned by the common hangman on the shores of Lake -Michigan .'says the “Alauchester Guardian”). In tile first volume, published earlier in the year, Air. Hughes depicted “tile father of his country” as an habitual gambler and bon viveur with, a practical eye to feminine beauty. This naturally caused no small stir, and, in particular, niluriated various patriotic societies whose duty it is to perpetuate many pious beliefs associated witlt the revolutionary -period. In the second volume, : which appears this week, the author, who is one of the leading protagonists of the Thucydidean school of what are known as “debunking” historians, assails with witty’ and mordant pen the traditional view of Washington in his later years as set forth'in “those iairv tales called schoolbooks.”

Protesting that there cannot be any sacrilege in representing Washington as a man “before and while he became a god,” the author remarks that of late “there has been an impatience to seek c,ut the face behind the white mask, and ' the actual man is still in the process of reconstruction.” We are given in these pages a vivid glimpse of Washington’s household at Afount Yer non before the Revolution, “with its crowded card tables, dancing revels, drinking feasts, oyster parties, and excursions to horse races, balls, and playhouses—just such a home as is now denounced as the i origin of all vice.” The author goes on to say: “Remove from Washington’s life his career as soldier and ■ statesman, and there remains little to distinguish him from the average successful'business mail of his day and ours.” Entries in Washington’s , diary are quoted, including the mention: of sums spent in bets on horses,_ in cards, wine, and “treating the ladies.” Alluding to Washington’s taste for gambling, Air. Hughes states that “official records show that lie had soldiers under him lashed on their bare, backs and their wounds scrubbed with bnne lor a similar fondness lor cards.” Of special interest to Englishmen >s . the author’s account of the state of: discipline in the revolutionary’ army. American soldiers at the Battle of Long Island Air. Hughes describes as “a mixed force of cowards and heroes. In the mad chaos of individual bravery’, valour, its ‘better part’ discretion, and downright poltroonery, the Americans were killed, wounded, captured, or routed bv the English, Highlanders, Hessians, and American Loyalists. One of the British generals declared that the ’ very camp wom<?ii hilariously joined _ni this holiday and actually captured prisoners.” , . Of the subsequent engagement at the place where the Grand Central Railway terminus now stands in Alanhattan, - r. Hughes writes that “an anguish of fear made r. judgment dav of the whole American force, while Hessian peasants ran after them laughing and wondering that they should have been fetched so l J ar to defend England from such cattle. In his letters Washington .s shown to have complained bitterly about the qua - itv of his troops, and the New Englanders came in for an extra share of his ite. Among Washington’s letters quoted m (his book is one in which the American Coninuiiider-in-Chief, writing in 1Q G declared that, unless people gave him aid in returning deserters, “we shall be obliged to detach one-half of our arm. to bring back the other half. On another occasion, Air. Hughes says. Aashington was so overcome by the cowardice of his men that alter ' a . sllin “ a . t (hem With his Wb.ip and striking a bri-gadier-general as well as private soldiers he suffered “a paralysis of ire within eighty vards of the enemy. ■\s r-'gards Washington’s love of tiutil enshrined in lhe cherry-tree legend, Air Huehes agrees that he was mi unusua l? truthful man and “rarely tried to deceive anyone, except, of course, m the usual wavs sanctioned by ancient custom to dealers in leal estate, horse trade.s, and military people." Mr. Hughes finffi far less love of truth :n the men who have written “so-called American history” and “fanatics who would bum. holiest books and lynch, delvers into facts I yield to nobody m >ove of my country,”’ he writes, “and in gratitude to its builders, but I consider it no part of decent patriotism to .be a traitor to the truth ”