Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-02-15
REPORT OF WAR BOARD.
''Embalmed" Army Beef Charges
Held to be Untrue.
NO FAULT WITH ALGER
Friction Between Gen. Miles and the
Government at Washington
Shown Up.

pO1I SuDlllIllCu " luc IcSIueuI lISI
Wednesday by the commission appoint
ed by him to investigate the conduct Of
the war department in the war with
Spain was made public last night. The
report is a unanimous one, all the mem
bers of the commission having signed it
except Col Sexton, whose death oc-
Cured February 4. At its close it says:
1t is with profound regret that the com
mission reports that during its later session
Col James A. Sexton was prevented by
sickness from being present and on Feb
ruary our beloved colleague closed an
honored and active life.
The report is Il voluminous document,
containing about $4,000 words, and IN
official abstract, prepared by the secre-
tary Of the commission, was furnished to
the press for its convenience.
The first part of the commissions re-
port deals with the preparation for work
,, and the calling of witnesses. In all 495
witnesses appeared before the board, all
but one of whom testified under oath.
These witnesses included the secretary
Of war, the commanding general, heads
of departments and lesser army officers.
Further than this the commission visit
ed III person many of the old camps and
inspected troops and supplies.
Suggestions in General.
Before proceeding to q specific de-
sulphur Ol the cOuuucJ ana management
of the war the report gives comments
and suggestions touching certain matters
which came under consideration as 4
logical consequence of the inquiry Dur
sued by the commission. Referring to
the question of retired officers the report
says:
Under existing laws the officers of the
army are retired when they reach the age
of Ga We have had before US many sug-
gestlons made by officers on the retired list
who are men of experience and distinction
that this law should be so amended as to
give to the President the right to call into
active service any retired officer during the
time of war
In the matter of regimental officers the
commission found that all volunteer com
mands Differed by men of military eXpe-
rlence and training Jared much better
than those Otticered by amateurs. The
soldiers were more effectively cared for
enjoyed better health ana were better
fed and clothed. The commission recon-
mendS for the future strict eXamina-
ton into the qualifications of all officers
appointed to the army, regular or volun-
teer. The establishment Of schools of
instruction for inexperienced officers tax
en- from civilian life to meet the emer-
gency created by the war is highly com
mended
Speaks Against Red Tape.
A most important criticism by the COM
mission IS as follows:
The routine work in the departments in
our opinion, is far beyond what is neces
sary, and each year seems to increase It,
The methods employed make it almost i'm
possible to transact business promptly. No
well-reguated concern or corporation could
transact business satisfactorily under such
regulations as govern the staff departments.
The report then proceeds to take up
the subjects IN their regular order, be-
ginning with the army. 1t tells of the
increasing of tbp hU tho o.
in of POI pa volunteers and the immense
work thrown upon the war department.
which it met with earneStnesS and enar-
gy. The report recommends that hence
forth the country should be in a better
state of preparation for war and neces-
sary supplies kept constantly on hand.
Friction III the Department.
Perhaps the most significant utterance
IN the whole document, so far as CON
Germs the discipline and efficiency of the
army, comes next:
For many years the divided authority and
responsibility in the war department has
produced friction. for which. in the inter
est of the service, 4 remedy, if possible
should be applied The constitution makes
the President the commander chief of
the army, and he cannot transfer that au-
thor1ty to any other person The President
selects his secretary of war. who has his
confidence and who is his confidential ad-
wiser. The commanding general is assigned
to duty as such by the President, and his
duties are defined under the military laws
of the United States.
The President must have the same power
OF selection Of his genera -in-chief as he
has of his secretary of war. Without this
there can be no guaranty that he will give
or that the secretary of will place in
the general-in-chief that confidence which
IS necessary to perfect harmony. Neither
the President the secretary of war
should have in the command of the army
an officer who is not working in harmony
with him.
Secretary of War.
The report now takes up the war de-
partment and its various chiefs of sub
divisions, beginning with the secretary
of war:
The records of the war department.
which have been laid before us, show that
the secretary of war extended to all chiefs
! of bureaus cordial and full support and
promptly responded to every proper de.
mand made upon him by commanding of
| ticerS.
No testimany has been presented show
ing intentional neglect of duty nor any
attempt to serve personal interests. The
charges made that the secretary of war
was pecuniarily interested in contracts pur-
| chases and other transactions of the war
| department have been thoroughly examined
and found baSeless.
In the judgment of the commission there
| was lacking in the general administration
| of the war department during the continl~
ance of the war with Spain that complete
| grasp of the situation which was essential
to the highest efficiency and discipline of
| the army.
In regard to the adjutant- generals de-
| partment the report shows the great
amount of work done by Brig. Gen H.
| @. Corbin and his assistants In the
| face Of all this 1t says there have been
very few complaints against this depart
| ment.
/ The commission finds that the depart
ment of the Inspector general, Brighten.
! J. G. Breckenridge, was not as efficient as
| it should have been. There seems to
/ have been question as to the authority
by which inspections were to be ordered
and in one case the instructions of the
secretary of war were ignored.
/ The Quartermaster's Department.
The quartermaster's department.. Brig
| Cen. NJ. [. Ludington, found itself, upon
! the de .laration of war, confronted with
an amount of labor and responsibility fol-
which, the report says, it was neither
physically nor financially prepared. II
! continues:
In spite of every effort there were occa
sions where troops suffered from poor tent
age or lack Of tentage and absence Of straw
for bedding, where clothing was scarce
and troops suffered discomfort for lack OF
shoes, shirts and other articles of apparel
AT Santiago tho deficiency at the front APP