The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-27
WIDE SCOPE OF
INVESTIGATION
Commission Maps Out
Its Work.
NO STONE TO BE UNTURNED
SELECTION OF CAMP SITES A
PROLIFIC SUBJECT.
Charges Of Favoritism to Railroads
Will Receive Special Atten-
tion-Geleral Plan of
Procedure.
NO STONE TO BE UNTURNED
SELECTION OF CAMP SITES A
PROLIFIC SUBJECT.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26.-The COM
mission selected by the President to in
vestigate the conduct of the War De-
partment held it's first formal session
to-day, with all the members present
The meeting was in the room of the
Fertilization and Ordnance Board OF
the Department, but it was found to be
too small for the purpose, and it was
announced that future meetings would
be held in apartments secured in the
Lemon building on New York avenue
To-day's meeting was strictly secret
No newspaper representatives or others
not connected with the board were adj
mitted.
After meeting of two hours dura-
ton, an adjournment was taken until
10 o'clock tomorrow. The proceedings
were limited to the outlining of a gen
eral policy and the formulation of let
tiers of inquiry, which will be made
public tomorrow
The letters decided upon are to be
addressed to the Secretary of War, the
quartermaster general, the commissary
general, the surgeon general and the
chief of the Ordnance Department of
the army. They will consist In the
out all the facts that can be given rel
alive to the organization of the volun-
teer army. These officials will be asked
to give special information, so as to
cover each of the departments in ques-
ton, concerning the condition of the
army both at the beginning and the
close of the war. For this purpose a
date in April has been selected as the
one for the beginning of the prepara-
ton, and another in August for the
close.
The questions are so formulated as
| to call out answers covering the or
| ganiZation Of camps, the purchase of
supplies and the taking of contracts
with transportation companies and also
! to show the methods adopted for fur
nishing supplies to the various COM
mands and for protecting the health of
| the soldiers. There will be an espe-
cial effort to develop the motives that
actuated the department in the choice
| of camp sites, as there have been
charges of favoritism to railroad COM
panies.
The commission also considered seve-
raj letters of complaint from persons
protesting to have information bear
| ing upon the subject of the investiga-
| ton, and decided to address replies to
the writer's, requiring them to put their
charges in specific shape and inform
| ing them of the scope of the inquiry
1t is intended, if the replies received
to these letters show the writer's to be
in possession of real information, to
summon them before the commission
when it is feasible to do So otherwise
to secure their affidavits. When, how
ever, it becomes evident that their ac-
cusations are mere idle complaints,
with no information to back them,
the writer's will receive no further at
| tention.
| The commission expects to extend it's
| inquiry before it closes it's work to the
extent of summoning before it the COM
handing officers of the various divi-
sions and brigades and probably the
colonies of regiments from which COM
| plants have emanated. They will be
expected to give full information as to
the pains they may have taken or failed
to take concerning the location of their
| troops and their general welfare.