The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-09-20
Mac S TITLE
FARCE
President Has Found Seven
Fools to Investigate
Him.
WILL NOW TELL THEM HOW
Pompous Communication to
the Cabinet at an Infor-
NAL Meeting.
ROTTEN TRANSPORT SYSTEM
Tardy Waking Up of the War
Department to at Least
One of Its Crimes.
SYSTEM

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 1SsS.-The
President is making progress in prepara-
tion of the commission for the investiga-
ton of the conduct of the war so far as
it relates to the War Department, and he
stated to members of the Cabinet today
that he had so far completed the commits
sion that he had invited the members to
meet him for a confe renee at the White
House on Saturday next with the view to
beginning their work next week
Seven of the nine members of the body
have definitely indicated their acceptance
of the Presidents invitation and he ex-
pressed himself today as being very con-
fident Of being able to secure the services
of the other two gentlemen necessary to
complete the quota of nine by the time
set for the conference.
The names of the new men who have
been invited to serve were not given out
Secretary Gage and Attorney General
Griggs were the only members of the
Cabinet present at today's meeting, and
as a Consequence the meeting was infor-
NAL and brief
The President suggested the necessity
of giving early attention to annual de-
partmental reports, saying that he de-
sired to begin the preparation Of his mes
sage to Congress as soon as practicable
He talked with Secretary Gage at some
length as to the lines of his report, but
no information was given cut concern
ing it's probable scope or character.
After leaving the White House Secre-
tary Gage said there was no foundation
to the report that Secretary Alger had
rendered his resignation as had been re-
ported
General Lawton has made a recommen-
dation to the War Department for the
utilization of such Cuban troops as may
relinquish all connection with the Cuban
army by employing them upon various
works of the United States at Santiago.
General Lawton has not recommended
that they be used to police the city or
province of Santiago, but directly the
contrary
Last winter an attempt was made to
pass a bill allowing the recruiting of
Cubans in the army of the United States,
either in the volunteer or regular service,
limiting the number to 10000. but the bill
was changed so as to allow only fifty to
each regiment, and these to be enlisted
as scouts and guides. 1t is probable that
the bill for recruiting regiments from
Cubans viii meet with more favor in the
future, as these men win be available
for garrison duty in the island.
1t is also thought that a large number
of Cubans who have been serving in
some capacity with the Cuban army will
become better satisfied with the changed
condltion of affairs if they are allowed
to be continued in military service. At
the time the bill for enlisting Cubans
action would be resented by the Ameri-
can troops as the pressure to go to Cuba
among the volunteers was very great at
that time.
Major General Ludlow was in Washing
ton today consulting with Acting Secre-
tary Meiklejohn, General Miles, General
Corbin and the Quartermaster's Depart
ment relative to the work of the Board of
which he is President. General Ludlow.
Colonel Hecker and Lieutenant Rivers
were some time since created board to
inquire into the report upon a system of
sea transportation for troops 1t is ex-
pected that there will be added to this
board ore or two civilian transportation
men.
The War Department has found that
the methods for the transportation of
the troops at sea are wholly inadequate
to the needs of the army. The ships are
not arranged SO as to carry with comfort
and satisfaction large bodies of men The
sleeping accommodations are not salts
factory. while there is no provision for
the cooking of food such as soldiers
should have, necessitating the issuance
!, of travel rations, which does not meet
the needs Of troops on long voyages
The Board of which General Ludlow is
president has been making thorough ex-
animation of the matter and has held
several meetings in the army building in
New York and has consulted steamship
mef with a view of having the trans
port Of the United States altered so
as 70 better accommodate troops. The
attention of the War Department was
called to the matter, particularly by a
report Of Lieutenant Rivors Of the Quar-
terr ster,s Department in which he
poj i out the utter inefficiency Of the
r-e ii transportation service at sea.
From the time the government was or
gzed until the Spanish war there was
n. lenland for transportation of troops
b. sea except for small number Of
troops in the Mexican war and for shor1
distances during the Civil War The
Ludlow Board will report upon every
feature Of sea transportation including
the remodelling of Transports the status
Of captains and officers Of troops in ths
service, and especially with reference tf
the health and comfort or the troops ii
the matter Of space. sleeping accommo
dations and medical and food supplies.