The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-14
The Commission Not Able to Discover
Any Guilt.
ALGER IS FREE OF ALL BLAME.
The Conduct of the War Mildly Crit
ciscd. But Mitigating Circum-
stances Mentioned Was
No "Em- balmcd Beef" De
clares the Commission.
Divided Authority

WASHINGTON. Feb Especial -
Tho report of the War Investigating
Committee has been released for oub-
licaiion 10y the President Summariz-
ing it's observations under the heads OF
the departments concerned. the Comm.s-
sion finds substantially as follows:
The Secretary OF War
"Ihe records ol the War Department
SHOW that the Secretary of War extend
eel 20 all chiefs of bureaus cordial and
full support and promptly responded 10,
every proper demand made upon him by
commanding officers
no testimony has been presented
showing intentional neglect OF duty or
any attempt 20 serve personal interests.
The charges made thai tAe Secretary OF
War was ,pecuuiariy interested lon c0n-
tracts. purchases and other transactions
of the War Department have been
thoroughly examined and found base.ess.
GRASP WAS LACKING.
"ln the judgment of the commission
there was lacking in the general admin
istration of the War department during
the continuance of the war with Spain
that complete grasp OF the situation
which was essential 10 the highest oiii-
cheney and discipline OF the men.
'Ihe commission has rcfraincd from
critcising certain OF the heads Of bu-
reaus for not having acted with fore
sight in preparing their various depart
ments for active war before war was
actually declared, because 70 has ap-
peared that the national defense fund
provided by the act of March g. 1885
was not made available for use except
for the navy and for coast defenses and
the expenditures incident thereto until
after the declaration of war"
ACCUSATION AGAINST MILES
General Miles-Accuscd of deroliction
Of duty I'm connection with the beef mat
Ter in not reporting his belief and at
tempting to have what hc considered
the furnishing of bad beef 10 the army
stopped
AdJuiant Generals Dcpartment-Prom
m its work, and added greatly 90 The
efficiency OF the army.
Inspector Generals Denartment-No
as Efficient as IL ought 10 have been.
Judge Advocate Generals Department |
Worked with efficiency and 90 the bene-
ht of the service
Tho Quartefmaster's Department
criticised for shortage of supplies. mex |
cusable lack of executive ability I'm hand |
tematlc loading of transports
Subsistence Deparfmenf-DId NOT fur
nish the rations prescribed by law on
the TRANSPORTS and at the camps.
No EMBALMED BEEF
No refrigerator beef treated by anv
'hemcals.
The Signal Corps-IIighly commended.
The Pay Dcpartment-Perform iabors
promptly and efficiently
Engineer Department-IIighly praised
or its services.
The Ordnance Department-Unurinr in
ts work before and after the war.
The Medical Departmcnt-Criticis for
hortcomings in administration and ope-
alton, but commended for a vast deal
4 good work
Tho Camps-The sanitation. while far
rom perfect was as good as might rea-
Onabiy DEE expected. Chickamauca. Al
er. Miami and Tampa are pronounced
Montauk is credited with
cling an ideal place for the isolation Of |
rOops ill with CONTAGIOUS diseases. The |
theirs arc commended.
General couclusions-The result of the
ampaign was the complete realization OF
be- several objects contemplated
The most significant utterance in the
hole document so far as concerns the
lsciplinc and efficiency OF the army. is
s follows.
DIVIDED AUTHORITY.
For many years the divided authority !
nd responsibility ia the War DEPART
cnt has produced friction for which.
the interest Of the service O remedy.
possible. should be applied The Con- I
tuition makes the President the COM ,
ander-in-chief Of the army. and he
lnn0t transfer thar authority 10 any 7
her person 'fc President selects his .
,cretary of Wa who has his confidence 4
ID who is his confidential adviser. The /
is assigned to duty
such by the President. d
''Tho President must have the same 3
,wcr of selection of his general-in-chief 4
he has Of his Secretary OF War With 4
Il this there can be no guarantee that {
will give or the Secretary Of War will +
ace in the eeneral-in-chief that conh- d
nee which is necessary 10 perfect har-
0ny Neither the President nor the q
cietary % War should have In the O
mmand of the army an officer who Is p
Il working In harmony with him. s.