The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-05
THE EASY GOING SECRETARY

THE EASY GOING SECRETARY.
The Secretary of War blames nobody
for the wretched Sob made of bringing
our sick and wounded soldiers home
from the Santiago campaign, just as
he blamed nobody for the collapse Of
the commissary department.
Yes. he does blame somebody little.
He says the captains OF the ships did
not report that they needed anything.
Naturally, however, ne isn't severe on
these merchant slxippers. And. in truth,
ne has no right to be severe. They
were not responsible and cannot be held
responsibility The question is, OF course,
where were the lire officers. or the staff
of1lcers Of the government service who
.ho,,,d have looked after the irresponsi-
bic skippers OF these ships7 According
"a the oficiai statement OF the secre-
tary OF war, these government officials
were hanging around waiting for the
,rresponsiplo shipmastefs to prescribe
what was needed and to ask for the
same. "Had they explained what was
wanted" says the Secretary, "of course
II would have been provided"
The explanation doesn't explain, by
! long shot. When our battleships
were launched. did the government walt
for the builders to tell what was want
"a? Not much. They were inspected.
when the fighting ships were made
ready for service, did the naval officers
ave Il to the ship chandlery and the
machine shop to go ahead and stock
them as they pleased? Not at all.
Everything that went aboard was In
spected and everything that wan lack
inr was demanded by the government
of,;cers. who told the government that
the transatlantic steamers and the
yachts offered for the auxiliary fleet
were all right? Nobody. A competent
board OF inspection looked them over
and found out for itself. But these
transports ordered to bring the sick and
wounded home were never looked at
according to the secretary's own ad
mission. because. forsooth. their skip
pers didn't ask for anything. What dis
they know about it, anyway? Wha
authority or responsibility was PLACED
with them? None at all. They were sim
ply hired men, No blame can attach t
them. for the simple reason that the,
didn't hire out as experts in fitting VI
hospital ships. And when "a larg'
number OF civilians rushed aboard an'
occupied many staterooms that shoul'
have been given to the soldiers" the!
had no authority to put them ashore
and whoever did have such authorit
wasn't around to perform the duty.
The explanation doesn't explain tn
pitiable mess. How weak II is is ev
denced by the accompanying statemer
that mo recurrence Of such condition
win he possible hereafter''-an admit
sion that it was entirely unnecessa
for the conditions to have existed
the first place. Gen. shafter has be
ordered 10 see TO Il that whenever
becomes necessary TO use transports
sick or wounded purposes, II be ma
the duty OF some experienced and CO.
petcnt medical officer TO see that OF
such transports as are in good santa
condition and are best suited for
purpose are selected: that the wa
supply on board Is ample in quaint
and wholesome IN quality; that su
cient supplies OF food, medicine a
dressings hospital stores. incIudI
delicaeies. where possible TO obt'
shsm. zee. etc. are placed on boal
that > s1n'cient number OF experien'