The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-08-28

I
M Encouragement the part OF the War De-
partment have now reached proportions OF
such magnitude that neither the administration
Congress can afford to ignore them. What at first
were but little than mutterlngs coming from
obscure have grown to the clamors arising
from all sides. Dispatches from the East TEEN with
statements of blunders worse, committed IN the
conduct of the war; and of these OF nature
that compel attention from persons most skep-
teal OF general rumors.
As the matter stands the complaints concerning the
i'll usage Of the troops at the front and at the various
camps established in the Eastern States have been
made the basis OF sensational attacks upon the Secre
tary of War and the commanding general The result
has been that the whole subject is involved in such
mass of self-evident exaggeratons that the fair
minded citizen cannot distinguish what is true from
what is false and finds it difficult decide whether
the evils were caused by wrongdoing the in
evitable outcome of effort to hasten the to
swift conclusion instead of proceeding slowly and
taking ample time for preparation
In this condition of affairs the public should be on
guard against the attempts that are being made in
certain quarters to array of officials against
another 1t will be remembered that the yellow jour
nails not long ago endeayored to place Sampson and
Schley in conflict, and at time went far to
that the two heroes were personally antago-
nistic. similar attempt isnow being made to array
General Miles against the Secretary of War and to
provoke them to mutual recrimination
Up to this time all these efforts to embroil high
officials in the scandal have failed To reporter who
asked him what answer he had to make to certain
statements said have been given out by Miles Sec
Rotary Alger replied: IT have what in the
papers about General Miles reported utterances, his
demand for investigation, and charges about with
held or garbled messages, and l will say frankly
don't believe word OF it. / don't believe he
said it."
The in every respect proper If Miles
has charges make they should be formulated and
submitted in official report 1t is certainly not
credible that he has made grave complaints rejecting
upon the War Department to irresponsible persons
and sent them in form easily subject to the
aggeratons and misrepresentation of every who
repeats them
That much suffering among the troops has resulted
from the insuffciency of the supplies furnished them
may be accepted fully proved but that the amount
of the suffering and the degree of insufciency OF
plies have been grossly exaggerated is beyond ques-
ton What is needed now, therefore, is investiga-
and make clear the real condition of things 1t will
then be possible to determine whether the War De-
partment has been rnismanaged or whether it has
done the best that could have been done in making
ready volunteer army and hurryng it to the front
in order close the before the yellow fever
son began in the West Indies Such an investigation
is imperative and the it is begun the better.
/ Of course Major Mclaughlin will be chairman Of
the Republican State Central Committee. There is