The times., 1898-12-24
GEN. HOWARD 7BSTIFIES
Two Members of Ayers Relief
Board ON Duty.
"BUREAUCRACY"DISCUSSED
Distressing Conditions at the Chick
nmnuEa Camp The Cnnteens
the Trouble ut Camp Thomas-Sol-
dicrs Were Victims Of Red Tape.

Col. Denby and Gen. Wilson were the
only members OF the Aiger Relief Com
mission on duty yesterday. Mai. Gen. o.
o. Howard, retired, was the only witness
10 appear before them.
Gen. Howard said that he had visited a
number of the big army camps as the rep
rssentaiive of the Army and Navy Chris
tian Commission. He was at Chicka-
mauga, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Mobile
and Tampa. 1t was his judgment that the
camp at Key West was a,mcst perfect. Il
was clean and neat; everything about it
was in excellent order. 1t was the best of
all the camps. Gen. Lees camp at Jack
sonville was also in fine condition. At this
camp he found one case of typhoid fever.
The patient had been taken there from an
other camp. Gen. Howard was incliued TO
the belief that the doctors were not sure
as TO the cause of typhoid at the camps.
The hospital at Jacksonville we-e in splcn-
did condition.
Gen. Howard was not prepared TO speak
commercially of the camp at Chicka-
mauga. Around the hospitals and regi-
mental camps he found an odor that was
alarming While searching fo- Gen.
Brooke to advise him of this condition he
was told by the chief surgeon that he
feared much more sickness would result
from this offensive odor, and that to avert
it he had that morning ordered the dis
tribution Of thirty barresl of quicklme in
the more affected districts.
The canteens Gen. Howard regarded as
a menace 10 health. The men would load
their stomachs with hucksters' stuff, then
add beer, and this, in his Judgment, was
certainly injurious TO them He talked
with Gen. Brooke of these things. but the
latter did not seem TO see in them any
thing particularly foreboding.
During his testimony Gen. Howard made
use Of the word bureaucracy" Gen. VIII
son suggested that the word had a singu-
lar significance as applied. Gen. Howard
explained that he did not believe in one
man at Washington taking everything
upon himself. II the commanding officer
1T ChickamauSa had had absolute control
there different condition of affairs would
have existed. Asked If anybody suffered
because of bureaucracy" Gen. Howard
promptly replied that he thought they did.
lie had talked freely with Gen. Brooke
during his visit to Chickamauga. He could
do this because Gen. Brooke served under
him in the rebellion Gen. Brooke had
much difficulty in getting replies 10 his
cof1ifuaichiions with Washington. Gen.
Brooke's adjutaat told him that they had
great trouble in getting necessary sup
plies.
Gen. Wilson wanted to know whether
bureaucracy was the direct cause of the
deplorable conditions that existed at Camp
Thomas Gen. Howard answered by de-
scribing his own troubles during the civil
war in having his acquisitions on the War
Department filled. He left the inference
that in time of war red tape ought TO be
abolished. Pressed for a more direct an
swer. Gen. Howard. slapping his hand on
the table by his side, admitted that the
soldiers At Chickamauga had suffered be-
cause of bureaucracy"
Gen. Howard then gave his views on
The subject of acclimating green troops.
lie said there had been a mistake made
in sending volunteers 10 Southern camps.
To illustrate the soundness of his arsu-
ment he pointed to the marines who
were at Portsmouth, y. ii. These men
Were sent to Guantanamo. They enjoyed
perfect health in Cuba. The reason was
clear They were in perfect health when
they went there.
Gen. Howard was on board the trans
port Seguranca from Tampa TO New
York The transport was laden with
troops from Cuba. They We're in pitia-
BILE condition and were bitter in their de-
nunciation of their treatment by the Gov
erEment