When a writer dons the cloak of anonymity he dons protective armor. He may now write candidly. He may write truthfully as well but to do so he must not be reckless, he must not give in to false confidence, his shirt of mail is defensive only, it is not a weapon. Now girded against assault he needs check his conscience that he not give assault.
It takes little merit to publish anything on the American Civil War these days or any days. Leo Tolstoy refused to characterize War and Peace. Was it a novel? Was it history? "It is what I intended to write in the manner I intended to write it," was Tolstoy's reply. Red-Tape and Pigeon-Hole Generals is what William H. Armstrong, as "A. Citizen Soldier," intended to write and in the manner he intended to write it.
Armstrong was a "whistle-blower"--very apt!--writes Frederick B. Arner. He invokes whistle-blower protection. We give him the cloak, he dons it. We must now know whether "Red-Tape" is novel or history!
Following the style with which Armstrong, Arner and I are accustomed to reading opinions of the court, the ruling will be given first and then the reasoning:
HELD: Red-Tape and Pigeon-Hole Generals is history.
It takes little merit to publish anything on the American Civil War these days or any days. Leo Tolstoy refused to characterize War and Peace. Was it a novel? Was it history? "It is what I intended to write in the manner I intended to write it," was Tolstoy's reply. Red-Tape and Pigeon-Hole Generals is what William H. Armstrong, as "A. Citizen Soldier," intended to write and in the manner he intended to write it.
Armstrong was a "whistle-blower"--very apt!--writes Frederick B. Arner. He invokes whistle-blower protection. We give him the cloak, he dons it. We must now know whether "Red-Tape" is novel or history!
Following the style with which Armstrong, Arner and I are accustomed to reading opinions of the court, the ruling will be given first and then the reasoning:
HELD: Red-Tape and Pigeon-Hole Generals is history.
