The National tribune., 1899-02-16
VAR COMMISSIONS REPORT.
Each Bureau Considered and Comment
Made.

Made.
The report of the War Investigating
Commission, which was submitted to
President Mckinley last week. was given
out for publication at the White House
Sunday night.
The report takes up the War Depart
ment and is var GUS chiefs of Subdi-
visions, beginning with the Secretary OF
War. 1t says:
'"Ihe records of the War Department
which have been laid before us show that
the Secretary of War extended to all chiefs
of bureau cordial and full support, and
promptly responded to every proper de
mand made upon him by commanding
officers.
mo testimony has been presented
showing intcn tional neglect of duty nor
any attempt to serve personal interests.
ain the Judgment of the Commission
there was lacking in the general admins
tration Of the War Department during the
Continuance of the war with Spain thai
complete grasp of the situation which was
essential to the highest efficiency and
discipline of the Army"
Adjt-Geu. Corbin's office is praised for
its work. THE Commission find that tn.
Inspector Generals Department was not
as efficient as it ought to have been. he
organization in the field was ample, anG
handing officers TO whom they had beer
assigned. Those reports were often no.
acted upon and were not forwarded to the
War Department.
The declaration Of war threw upon the
QuartermaSter's Department an amount
of labor and re p visibility for which II
was neither physically nor financially
prepared. In spite OF every effort, ther,
were occasions where troops suffered iron
poor tentage or from lack of tcntage anc
absence OF straw for bedding, where cloth
ing was scarce and troops suffered DIS
comforts for lack of shoes, shirts, anc
other articles OF apparel. The Commls
sion notices the poor equipment oil IN
transports and poor judgment as to load
ing, and the lack of promptness.
Treating of the Subsistence Department
the report says in part
"rhe Commission has carefully jnvesti
gated the subject OF the condition, quaHty
and quantity of the food supplied to thu
Army. Almost without exception it has
been shown by the testimony taken tt"'
wherever the troops were ordered, whether
10 the various camps in the United Staes,
or in Porto Rico, Cuba and Manila, tbs
rations prescribed by law were on thu
transports and at the camps with the so!
diers.
F, $50 far as we have been able to ascer
tain there was but one occasion. that OF
day, in front o. Santiago, when the troops
were seriously Short of rations. ga 0the !
tines vegetab cs were + und spoiled, il is
noted Gen. Miles and DIR. Days state
mrnts are criticised.
although DIR. Daily swears that he in
formed Gen. Miles about the ist of Au
gust, 1873, that he suspected that the re
frigerated beef was chemically treated, 1t
does net appear that the General informed
you THE Presidentl or the War Depart
ment that an officer of his staff had made
this discovery, nor does it, appear tfat he
ut that time ordered any of the officers
under his command to probe to the bot
tom an allegation which. if true, cor
ccrned the health of 1850 soldiers oil the
United States.
Examination of numerous officers and
enlisted men had been made as to thf
quality and condition of the meat issued
to the troops. The testimony, with some
exceptions, showed that the refrigerated
beef was pure, sound ard wholesome.
Beef issued has also been sampled. the
conclusion reached being that no reirieer-
ated beef furnished by contractors end
issued to the troops during the war with
Spain was subjected to or treated with
any chemicals by the contractors or those
in their employ
The report shows that number Of
officers testified that the canned beef was
unpalatahIe 1t is also ELECTED hat il a
tropical country, where IT rs SUBJECTED to
intense hea, the meat presents ire
pusive appearance AT first. Further rc"-e
it transpires that occasionally an inferior
article is found But the records OF the
Army prove that canned beef has been
used for many years"
The shortcomings in administration
and operation Of the Medical Department,
the report says, NAV justly be attributed
in large measure, tn the hurry and con
fusion incident to the assembling OF n
army Of unframed officers and men, 10
times larger than before, for which no
preparation in advance had been or could
be made because of existing rules and
regulations.
The latter part of the report is given
over to the findings Of the Commission in
regard to CAMPS, several Of which were
found unsuitaile. They decide that
Chiclamauga Park is not adapted to the
accommodation OF more than 600 men
at one time.