Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-27
n. II. ROOSEVELT ANSWERS ALGER,
Crificises sccretnry's Attitude on
Question OF Food for Army.

question OF Food for Army.
(New York Herald)
To the Editor of the Herald:
have read with surprise and equal in
dignation the letter of Secretary Alger in
your paper this morning to General Dodge.
It's callous and heartless indifference to
the sufferings Of our soldiers is most I'M
worthy Of a patriotic public officer and
almost incomprehensble in a father with
a son at the front exposed to the unneces-
sary hardships they have been forced to
| endure. 1t even seems to me to fur
nish the keynote to the situation, for IL
the head of the department is cynically
| Indifferent and careless, the underlngs
will be more SO. and feel justified and
| sustained.
| When every father and mother in this
| land who has a son in the war Is bitterly
| outraged at the want OF proper precau-
| tons or ordinary forethought not TO say
! downright peculation-for as yet no enc
seems to know where the blame should be
| placed-the Secretary of War, the man
whose reputation Is most involved. the
man who has the greatest responsibility,
coolly writes to General Dodge: You
and L know what this means. 1t has al
ways occurred, and always will occur.
| That is war; and war would not be war
without it," Is that anything but a carte
| blanche TO every one in any way connect
ed with the War Department TO ill-treat.
| under feed and even rob the soldiers as
much as he pleases?
! am not a military man, Secretary
Alser but L take Issue with every one
| OF your brutal and self-sufiicient asser-
| lions. 1t has not always occurred, ex-
places of responsibility. 1t will not con-
tinue 10 occur. even if we have to get
another Secretary OF War. 1t is not war.
1t exhibits, on the other hand, utter in
capacity for the simplest duties of war.
No war could be successfully carried on
If such things were to be allowed to ex-
list, as your letter would seem to imply
| that you are perfectly willing they should.
The country found itself Unexpectedly
brought face to face with the dread real
tiles of conflict. call was made Tor
volunteers. and they poured out to the
number of nearly half million. counting
all who offered their services. They
knew they had to brave the bullets of the
enemy the fever and pestience, the loss
of comforts and often of employment
hut they did not think they were to
be half starved and then told that 10
| complain was unpatriotic; that even 10
write home to their families was spread
| ing dsaffection
! ! do not intend that this attempt to as
sist them shall be made personal No
| ones name shall be brought in; no one
shall be accused of grumbling as the
Secretary endeavors TO do. If the men
who defend the system desire to make
! IL personal with me they can. but they
| shall not cast imputations on those who,
| having given up everything for their
country taken their lives in their hands
and LETT home and family, are half starry
ed even before they leave our shores, are
huddled in transports in way to renew
the horrors of ole time slave trade, and
are sent home when sick and wounded
| crowded to excess, uncared for, with
out water or suitable nourishment, and
with surgeons unsuppled with instru-
| ments.
| If Secretary Alger had the heart OF
man, he would, instead of indulging in
| ill-timed sarcasms have been the first
! and most persistent in finding out where
| lay the blame for all this wrong and SUI
fering, and, instead of announcing that
| they were TO continue would have been
the most urgent in bringing them 10
sudden and decided termination instead
of attempting TO silence complaints by
| insnuations against the patriotism or
those who would remove the cause for
them.
] do not know who is commissary-gen-
eral and have no personal quarrel with
him or anybody else. but do know that
the army ration is abundant and far bet
ter for the men than the stuff" as one
Of them called it, we are trying TO get
TO them often vainly. l fear, in place OF
good and appropriate food which the gov
eminent ought to supply TO them. But
when one Of them writes, Mother, l am
always hungry" is IL surprising that that
mother endeavors 10 get to him the best
she can and whatever she can? Think or
II Mr. Alger and see If 1t does not |
awaken something better than sarcasm
I'm YOUR mind. The boy always hungry |
always wet, always facing the Mauser
rifles of the Spaniards, in the trenches
day and night ready at any moment u
charge into the valley OF Death, as
they did up the heights at Santiago, anu
vet through the fault OF some ohe-con-
tractor. official, or whoever 1t may De-
forced to go always hungry" Wouid
Il not be more worthy. more patriouc,
more polite. even, especially In the head
of the department which is Responsible
N endeayor to find out who is to blame
and bring about a reform, instead OF
saving CONTEMPORARY. 'Oh, sucn |
thines always occur and will continue
II Won don't think so. wait till you near
Fron, the fathers and mothers of the SUI
ferIue and uselessiy endangered heroes |
for whom you seem to have so little SYM
nathv ROBERT Il. ROOSEVELT.
New York, July oath, 1898.