Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-21
Statement That Congress Will Be
Asked to Investigate.
If GENERAL MILES IS DISCREDIfED
Major Generals Friends Insist He
Shall Be Sustained.
PREPARATION OF REPORT

Another inquiry into the army beef is
looming above the horizon. 1t is reliably
stated that if the present court brings in a
report unfavOrable to General Miles and
contradictory of his allegations" a con-
cressional investigation will be demanded
and obtained
II is claimed by the friends of General
Miles that the possibility of an unfavorable
report has been canyassed for some time
10y influential senators and representatives,
who are adherents of the major general
commanding the army. and that d resolu-
tlon for Investigation could be put through
Congress without difficulty. In such an
event it is maintained that the testimony
Of thousands Of men and of a hundred Off
GERS more. which was rejected by the ex-
listing court could be placed before the
country.
An Army Officers Opinion.
Such a report as indicated by The Star
yesterday. said a distinguished army Off
CIR today to Star reporter, would be an
insult to the good serse and integrity of
the American people. If it is done. it will
not be based on the facts in the case. but
VIII be founded on the prejudice of the
court Ii will BE- because they have had
thcir orders from the White House. They
dare not do it. short of the promise OF pro-
lection by the Presid mt because each MEM
Der of the court belongs to the army ana
can be reached by COurt-martlaI proceedings
fyT any violation of their OathS. Besides L
have heard one member of the court say
that they are satisfied the canned roast
beef was utterly unfit TO eat
Il am sorry to say that 1t has been ap-
parent all along that there is an effort
operating To down Gen. Miles This court
was constituted for the purpose Of impuSn-
ing his motive in attacking the beef ration
ard to make it appear that he has cxag-
G-Tated and misrepresr nted the facts
Three hundred and forty officers have tes-
titled in support Of Gen. Miles allegations
They represent the who'll of the regular
army in Cuba and Porto Rico, mark You,
for each officer reports as To himself and
his men The fact i. too. that the canned
r,ast beef issued TO the troops sent TO Phil
ppines has been served the same way
thrown awdy-dS was the stuff given To the
men who went 10 Cuba and Porto Rico
I:gt testimony as to this could not be
brought into the present inquiry
A. to EmbaIming the Beef.
of course. there could be nothing but
CircumstartiaI testimony as to emba ming
the beef Do You suppose the packers and
their men would so on the stand and
admit It? \ policeman might as well hunt
up a gang of thieves and ask them to adj
NIT they have been committing robberies
recently. No: General Miles has done all
E- could do as the honest head of the army.
He has brought forward the men who saw
anu lle ulvrS who ate the beef, and
their evidence can't be refuted by innuen-
dos or chemical tests Of other meat DR..
Days discovery of poisonous acids in beef
issued on the transport Panama has not
been and cannot De discredited.
Since the war 2Ju.ttD men VINO served
their country and We're sickened by the
food rations have gone 10 their homes and
1 tell you if there is any 'whitewas hing
done by this courr. there will be hue and
cry among the congressman. There will be
a demand from these soldiers in the north
south. east and west that Congress fnvesti-
gate the subject and their congressman will
see TO it that it is done No matter what
this court does. General Miles knows public
sentiment and opinion are with him and he
n satisfied 20 let the matter rest, but his
friends are not.
Executive business Today
The court Of inquiry was closed to all
but executive business today. The report
Is in progress. but cannot be completed
till all the evidence is in. Major Lancaster
will be examined tomorrow. and on Monday
probably Major Lee. counsel for Gen. Miles
VIII make his closing address upon and
summary Of the evidence ne has submitted
Judge Advocate Davis also will be likely
aftsrward 70 present his exposition of the
evidence and the weight 10 be given it
The court has received a deposition from
A B. Powell. the inventor Of the Powell
method of processing meat. He denies
that fOrmaluehyde fOrmalin is used by
him. and reiterates his testimony on the
stand recently that only simple and harm
l"Ss chemicals form the ingredients \ dep
OSiti1n has b-en received also from a re-
porter for the New York Times. who swears
that he heard Gen. Miles make To Sidney
E-ide, reporter for the New York office
"t the Associated Press. the statements
which later appeared in part in certain
newspapers. and which Gen. Miles negative
y denied on the first DAY of the inquiry.