The Worthington advance., 1898-09-29
THE 'l'!l' / IN UIR; BE GINS.
War Investigation Commission Will
Try to Locate the Blame.


Z =
war department during the recent
conflict with Spain held its initial
meeting in the office of President Nc.
Kinley at the white house Saturday
There were eight members present
and it was announced that the serv.
ices Of ninth man were counted upon
though his name was not made public
The eight who were present were:
Maj. Gen. Granville M. Dodge, .o1
Iowa; Col. j. A. Sexton; of Illinois;
Capt. E. P. Howell, of Georgia.; Maj
Gen. j. M. Wilson, chief of engineers OF
the United States army; Hon. Charles
Denby, of Indiana, late minister tc
| China; ex-Gov. Urban A. Woodbury.
| OF Vermont; ex-Gov. James A. Beaver
of Pennsylvania, and Maj. Gen. H. Med
Cook, of the army (retired).
The heappearance of ex-Gov. Beaver as
a member Of the commission was a
surprise, as his selection was not
known until he appeared at the white
house at the beginning of the session.
Alger Requests the Investixation.
The commission spent an hour and
half with the president and then pro-
| ceeded to the room assigned it at the
war, department for the purpose of
organizing and beginning work.
The proceedings with the presid ent
consisted in the main of general ex-
change of views as to the scope of the
commissions investigation, in which
the president participated quite free
ly. He told the members that the
organization of the commission had
been undertaken at the request of
Secretary Alger, and read a letter
from the secretary, in which he made
the request. IT,
Secretary Alger's request, as made
in the letter read by the president, was
for complete inquiry into the conduct
OF the war, especially on the lines
OF the charges published in the news
papers. He said these charges had
assumed such magnitude that he did
not feel satisfied to have the depart
ment rest under them, and that he de-
sired an investigation by men emf
nent in military and civil life.
The President's Address.
In addressing the commission the
president said, among other things:
Gentlemen: Before suggesting the mat
ters which shall come before YOU for IN
vest1gation desire to express my appre-
clatlon to each of you for your willing
ness to accept the patriotic service to
which you have been invited. You are to
perform one of the highest public duties
that can fall to aSscitizen, and your un-
selfshness in undertaking it makes me nro-
foundly grateful.
There has been in many quarters Sc
we're criticism Of the conduct of the war
with Spain. Charges of criminal neglect
OF the soldiers In camp and field and hos
p1ta4 and In transports have been so per-
s,stent Ss tnat' whether true or false. they
nave made deep impression upon the
country. 1t Is my earnest desire that YOU
shall thoroughly investigate these charges
and make the fullest examina ton of the
administration of the war department in
al! OF its branches, with the view to estab-
cusations. s.I put sufson you no limit to the
scope of your investigation or all de-
partments connectsn with the army I In
v1te the closest scrutiny and examina ton.
and shall afford every facility for the most
searching inquiry. The records of the wa r
department and the assistance of it's Of
f1cers shall be subject to your call.
Il cannot impress up on you too strongly
my wish that your investigation shall he
SO thorough and complete that your re-
port when made will fix the responsibility
for any failure or fault by reason of neg
lect, lncompetency or maladministratlon
upon the officers and bureaus responsible
therefor-if it be found that the evils COM
planned OF have existed.
"The people of the country are entitled
to know whether or not the citizens who
so promptly responded to the call of duty
have been neglected or misused or NAL
treated by the government to which thew
so willingly gave their services If there
have been wrongs committed, the wrong
doers must not escape conviction and pun
ishment."
After. the close of the conference at
the white house the president ex-
pressed his satisfaction with the per-
sonnel of the commission, adding that
he believed their investigation would
be thorough and their report fair and
impartial.
The commission organized by elect
ing Granville NJ. Dodge chairman and
Richard Weightman secretary. Mai.
Mills, Of the inspector-generals office,
is to be military recorder. The com
mission adjourned about 1880 to meet
at ten o'clock to-day.
The session was devoted to method
of procedure, nothing: definite being
reached It was said that probably
the Investigation so far as examina-
tion of witnesses would be open, but
other proceedings in executive ses-
sion. ::
Turk Looks for Victims.
New York, Sept. 26.-Abdul Halli
Adali, the. champion wrestler of Tur-
key, who has just arrived here, has