The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-29
THE WAR BOARD.
One Point on Which 1t Should Seek
Information.
Philadelphia Ledger

Hnlladelpn1a Ledger.
As reports of the meeting of the war
board begin by stating that it was strictly
secret" too much credence should not be
given to statements about what was done.
Ihe intimations are that the officials who
rave been virtually accused of neglect are
to be invited to tell what they did in the
way of organizing the army Their state
mentS will, no doubt. make quite a good
impression, for they undouhtedlv did a
great deal of work in short time but the
real point of the inquiry relates to what
one connected with the War Department
committed any overt act except through
ignorance. and brought distress upon the
soldiers in camp. The inquiry should be
directed to the sins of omission rather than
to those of commission.
There are certain broad facts that tell
the story of incompetence or neglect in the
war Department in a way that cannot be
explained by any consideration If details
The great sickness and mortality among
the soldiers at Santiago is we'll established.
Those who defend the War Department as
cribe it to the hardships incident to battle
to the climate, to the difficulty of getting
supplies TO the men, etc. But there was
party of marines landed on Cuban soil be-
fore the soldiers These marines were
camped in fever infected district as had
as santiago; they suffered the hardshlps of
battle; they were exposed to tropical
storms, and were, indeed, exposed to every
condition which reduced the troops to ILL
ness and death except one.
They were not under the control of Alger
ana the War Department, but were cared
lOT ny the navy. IneS6 marines reCep thy
returned to Boston from Cuba. They were
in perfect health; they had not lost man
except in battle! The logical inference is
that the condition of the men of the army.
as compared with those of the navy, w9s
due, in part at least, to departmental nefii-
cheney on one hand and departmental eff1-
cheney on the other hand All other con-
ditions were apparently the same. The
marines were not veterans; they were for
the most part young men enlisted either
after the declaration of war or just befol e;
they were no more acclimated than the
soldiers; but they had good officers, and
were under the care of the Navy Depart
ment, which offered no berths for civilians.
and was measurably free from political in
reference. The Presidents commission
should make note of the fact that the public
does not care anything about the amount of
provisions purchased the number of uni
forms furnished, and other details of this
kind, but it does want to know why the
marines came back from Cuba in good
health, losing none of their number by dis
ease, and why the soldiers were brought
back TO hospitals, leaving many of their
number under the sod! And it wants to
know more particularly why the marines
could be kept in good health in Cuba while
soldiers were dying in American camps,
which had to be abandoned on account of
their unhealthfulness. These are the broad
questions to be Settled-queStions that
should not be obscured by an inquiry into
details that cannot fail to be confusing if
the main facts are lost sight of.