River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-02-16
MILES WAS AT FAULT.
The War Board Criticises the Com
handing General.
Declares His story OF Embalmed Beef
without Foundation, and Gem
sures Him In IA Mild Wny-An
Outline of Its Findings.

sures Him In n Mid Wny-An
Outline of Its Findings.
Washington, Feb. 13.-The report
submitted to the president last Wednes-
day by the commission appointed by
him TO investigate the conduct of the
war department in the war with Spain
was made public Sunday. The report
is unanimous one, all the members
of the commission having signed it eX-
cept Col. Sexton, whose death occurred
February 4. The report is a voluminous
document, containing about $4,000
words, and an official abstract, prepared
by the secretary of the commission, was
furnished TO the press for its con-
venience.
The abstract, after speaking Of the or
ganization of the commission, September
"a. and the facilities afforded the press to
furnish the American people with the 40
ings of the body. says that among the nrst
acts of the commission was TO request me
secretary of war and other officials or the
war department 10 transmit all the com
plants received by them touching the adj
ministration OF their respective bureaus
This request was promptly complied with,
and from that time forth all complaints
We're forwarded to the commission imme-
diately on their receipt at the war De
partment The commission also, through
the press, invited all persons having knoWl-
edge or belief of any official wrong or dere-
LECTION to submit their statements in writ
ing, accompanied by such collateral proof
or Information as might be at their dis1
posal. This invitation met with liberal
| response. Next, the secretary of war was
requested to direct the various chiefs of
department under him 10 furnish the com
mission with a statement of the condi-
ton of their respective departments at
the outbreak of the war and the operations
of the same during the period of hostilities
scope of the Inquiry.
This communication recited in detail the
| subjects on which information was de-
| sired, comprising acts touching the mo-
| blization of troops and their organization
| the amount and Kind of camp and garrl-
son equfpage on hand at the beginning OF
the war, the amount subsequently puf,,
| chased, similar information with regard
| to furnishing the troops with arms and ac-
| coutrements, information as to when OF
| the volunteer regiments were armed ana
| equipped in the various state camps, now
| the location of the camp of general rendez-
vous was determined, fun particulars as TO
| the transportation of troops. an account OF
the quantity, quality and kind of food fur
| nished Information as TO the tentage, BEDS,
| linen. medicines and all other necessaries
for the hospitals, as to whether the medical
staff was efficient, and as to the conditions
| and operations of the engineer and ord
nance departments
No Evidence of Dishonesty.
ut may be said now, at the beginning of
/ this report. that there has been no evil
/ dence before us that anyone in or connect
"a with The war department has dishon-
estly received a dollar We have made
| persistent efforts TO secure the attendance
/ of persons to whose names rumor had at
tached an allegation that they knew of cor
| ruption of officials in the war department,
! but these men have either denied the state
ments attributed 10 them or have main
tanned silence when Invited to tell what
they knew"
Before proceeding to a specific descrp-
ton of the conduct and management OF the
war, the report gives comments and sug-
gestions touching, certain matters which
90 90 IA . q a logical
| sequence of the inquiry pursued by the
commission. 1t recommends that the pres
/ ident be authorized to call into active serv-
ice in time of war all retired officers of the
army In the matter of regimental Off
teer commands offlcered by men of mill
tary experience and training Jared much
better than those differed by amateurs;
The soldiers were more effectively cared
for, enjoyed better health and Were better
| fed and clothed. The commission recon-
mends for the future a strict examination
| into the qualifications of all officers APP
pointed to the army, regular or volunteer.
The establishment of SCHOOLS of instruc-
ton for inexperienced officers taken from
civilian life to meet the emergency created
by the war is highly commended.
Conditions mt Opening of the War.
The report now proceeds to take up the
| subjects in their regular order, beginning
with the army. "On the first day Of April.
1898, the strength of the army was ,1f3 Off
GERS and 5000 enlisted men, total of rs
! 1873. War with the kingdom of Spain was
| declared April 81, 1898 On May 81 125,0OO
| volunteers had been mustered into the
! service. In August 1898. the regular army
| numbered 81, 365 the volunteer army 207,-
244, a total of 1853 500. These figures of them
| selves indicate that an immense work was
thrown upon the war department After
80 years of peace, during great part of
! which the army did not exceed 5000 men,
II suddenly became necessary to arm,
clothe, feed and equip more than 250,0G0
How that duty was discharged will appear
The sudden emergency which called our
people to arms after an interval of half a
! century of peace with all foreign powers
was met by the war department with ear
| nestness and energy. The situation found
the country unprepared with any large
| plies and equipments. That they were duly
provided, and that the numerous demands
on the Industries of our people were met
| so promptly, will remain one of the mar
wells of history"
One Lesson Taught.
A recommendation looking to the future
then follows: zone of the lessons taught
! by the war is that the country should here
after be in better state of preparation for
war Suggestions have been made, that
large supplies of all the material not liable
| to deterioration should be kept on hand,
| to be continuously issued and renewed so
| that in any emergency they might be avail
able. Especially should this be the case
with such supplies which cannot be rapidly
| obtained in open market
A Significant Suggestion.
Perhaps the most significant utterance
| in the whole document, so far as concerns
the discipline and efficiency of the army.
| comes next. 1t says that for many years
the divided authority and responsibility in
the war department has produced friction
! remedy, If possible, should be applied. The
| constitution makes the president the com
mander in chief Of the army and he can
| person. The president selects his secre
tary of war,Hwho has his confidence, and
who is his confidential adviser. The com
mandng general is assigned TO duty as
such by the president. After quoting the
| duties of the commanding general, the
report says: The president must have
| the same power of selection of his general
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 war
fidence which is necessary TO perfect har-
mony. Neither the president nor the sec
of the army officer who is not working
! in harmony with him.
The Secretary OF War.
The report now takes up the war depart
ment and it's various chiefs of subdivisions,
| records of the war department, which have
been laid before US, show that the secre-
reaus cordial and full support, and prompt
| ly responded to every proper demand made
| upon him by commanding officers No
testimony has been presented showing in
| territorial neglect of duty nor any attempt
made that the secretary OF war was pecu-
i niarily interested in contracts. purchases
and other transactions of the war depart
ment have been thoroughly examined and
! found baseless.
IN 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 that
complete grasp of the situa ton which was
| essential to the highest efficiency and dis
| cipline of the army. The commission has
| refrained from criticisng certain of the
| heads of bureaus for not having acted with
| foresight in preparing their various de
| partments for active war before war was
| actually declared, because it has appeared
| that the national defense fund provided
| py the act of March 3. 1898. was not made
| available for use, except for the navy and
for coast defenses and the expenditures in
cdent thereto, until after the declaration
| of war"
with reference to the adiutant generals
! department, the report says: There have
been very few complaints against this de
| partment. The records and testimony
show that it has been prompt in its work
and has added greatly to the efficiency of
'sThe commi5s ion find that the inspector
/ generals department was not as efficient
| as IL ought to have been. The organiZa-
ton in the field was ample. and the in
! spectors made reports to the commanding
/ officers to whom they had been assigned
/ Those reports were often not acted upon
and were not forwarded to the war de
/ partn,ent.
Was Not Prepared for War.
1T will be observed that the declaration
| of war threw upon the quartermaster's
( department an amount OF labor and re-
| sponsiblity for which it was neither
| physically nor financially prepared The
/ department has reported that on April l.
! 1898, it was amply provided with all neces-
/ sary clothing and equipage supplies for
-