The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-05
rHn HosprrAL sHrp soANpADa
disappointment Over Secretary Alger's
liberalization and Report.

investigation and Report.
WARRINGTON, Aug. "A great deal OF disap-
pointmentlhas been expressed In official and un-
official quarters since yesterday with the easy
going way In which the War Department has
dismissed the case OF tho steamships Concho
and Seneca, which recently brought sick and
wounded soldiers home from Santiago in a con-
dition of wretchod neglect. In the War Depart
ment and among army officers there is a we'll
observed rule against criticising the head OF the
department. out n dozen officers can be found
In Washington who express resentment with
the manner In which Secretary Ayers go
called - investigation =" was conducted and con-
cluded. They regard Il as a farcical proceed
ing and there ia no hesitation In c%ondemninR
the official method OF Diminishing 30 serious a
subject in so trivial a way.
When the departments attention was called
to the shocking state OF affairs on the Seneca
some time ago no attention was given to the
matter by the Secretary. and the Surgeon
General dismissed tho subject by saying that
the medical department could not be held re-
sponsiblc." Absolutely no official inquiry was
made TO disclose the cause Of the neglected and
suffering condition Of tho sick soldiers. When
the Concho arrived In worse condition than the
Seneca the War Department felt bound to take
official cognizancc OF the fact. Even then
Surgeon General Sternbere said: The edi-
cal department is not responsible"
The Secretary OF War promised an investiga-
ton. and the " investigation" was concluded in
about two days. The report OF the Secretary
says that there was great eagerness among the
men to get home and that there was q rush OF
civilians to get on board. thereby implying that
the army officers at Santiago were unable to
prevent unarmed men from going on board
and sick soldiers from overcrowding the ships.
The fact is, no Investigation worthy OF the
name has been made by the War Department.
The cursory examination Of the matter occu-
pied only two days and was not Of a nature
/ which would insure the publication OF all the
facts. whatever they might be. The Secretary
OF War was asked to appoint a court Of inquiry.
but he refused to do this. He said it should be
a department inquiry. and this. of course. left
the whole matter in the hands OF a single man.
II 1t TRANSFERRED In the Investigation" that
Gen. Shafter. the officer who was sent to San
tiago on the recommendation OF the Secretary
Of War, was at fault for the state of the soldiers
on the Seneca and Conoho. that fact was not
disclosed.
The most careful inquiry at the War Depart
ment brings to light the fact that the Surgeon
General cannot be held blameless In this mat
ter. even II he does decline to discuss It by
brusquely saying he is not responsible. He
admitted on the day after the arrival OF the
Concho at New York that he was ignorant OF
the fact that such a ship was being used to
transport sick and wounded, and he added the
still more remarkable admission that he did
not know any vessel was on the way to New
York ut that time with sick and wounded on
board. 1t is very well known. however. that his
duty was to require tho reporting of such mat
tiers to his office by the medical officers under
his jurisdiction at Santiago.
An officer OF the navy who was congratulating
himself that the navy takes better care Of it's
sick than the army does, said this morning:
If Gen. Sternberg knew. as he must have
known II he did his duty. that the medical sup
plies for the army at Santiago were left behind
at Tampa. 1t was his business to make a prompt
and vigorous complaint to the Secretary of War,
for he could have foreseen that failure to do so
would result in disaster"
The report of Secretary Alger. almost fippant
in its treatment of the criminally serious state
offacts revealed on board the Seneca and the
Concho, Is all the more surprising in view of
the well-known fact that President Mckinley
has promised more than one person that there
should be "a thorough. impartial and COM
plete investigation" One Of the persons to
whom he made this promise is Miss Janet
Jennings. the Red Cross nurse, who first re-
vealed to the public the state of things on the
Seneca. aboard which she returned from San
tiago. Miss Jennings talked to the President
on Monday. and in THE SUN Of Tuesday told
the story upon which she asked of the Presi-
dent an investigation. He assured her that it
would be ordered. but II the complacent mem
orandum now issued by the Secretary of War
is to be accepted as the result of that promised
investigation. Miss Jennings may we'll feel
that her efforts to expose the wretched state Of
affairs. In order that the condition Of the
wounded soldiers may be improved. have met
with failure.
Surgeon-General Sternberg Is, and has been
from the start. opposed to the Red Cross and
its work. He has handicapped all its efforts.
and has held the same attitude toward all pri-
vate relief and hospital organizations. He
claims to be a law unto himself. and while ad-
hitting the densest ignorance as to the hos
pital situation in Cuba, claims to be above all
outside advice or assistance. President McKin-
ley and Secretary Alger have replied to many
persons who have pointed out the incapacity.
or. at least. the unwillingness Of the Surgeon
General to grasp the situation and attempt to
remedy 1t. that he Is "a man eminent in his
profession" This is not denied. but that he is
not dealing with the question Of the sick and
wounded in Cuba as il should be dealt with is a
matter Of public notoriety. 1t is hoped here
that President Mckinley will now make good
his promise to have a complete investigation.
and that he will have it conducted by officials
outside Of the offices OF the Secretary OF War
and the Surgeon General. In that way he may
possibly get at the facts and place the blame
where it properly belongs.