Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-31
Investigating Commission
to Whitewash War Board.
ARMY BEEF WAS EXCELLENT
REPORT VIII Practically txonorntc
livery Ono Except The s:cuern.s
Named Testimony OF Oui.I,I.
Concerning Mcnt ignored nmd
tommissary General EuSnn,s Aa>
miniatratton Praised.

Washington, d. c.. Jan. 3o-The in
dications are that President Mckinley
will before the end OF the week receive
! from the Investigating Commission the
full text of its report on the conduct
of the war. The report Will comprise
10000 words or more and will have an
appendix of 500 pages, setting forth all
of the testimony adduccd before the
commission during it's sittings here and
elsewhere.
II is fair to presume that the next
few days will be full OF interest for
Secretary of War Alger The Invcsti-
eating Commission will now speedily
determine just what facts shall be pre-
scented to show the efficiency in the
War Department. Following is a re-
| liable forecast of the report:
| 1t has been determined by the com
| mission not 10 mention any names or to
| make any recommendations, but simply
| to record under the head of each de-
partmcnt and each camp the ineiiicicn-
cics and scandals which have been de-
| vcloped by the investigation. but the
! Identification will be so complete that
tho president will be able to fix the
responsibility.
| The following is n summary of the
| report, with the findings as to the diff
| fcrent departments and bureaus and
the officers in charge thereof:
WAR DEPARTMENT..
The Secretary of War ordered the
major general commanding to make an
| inspection tour Of the camps. The
major general commanding returned
the order to him ana informed him that
he was in the habit Of making out his
own orders.
! The major general commanding was
| permitted 10 20 to Santiago de Cuba
ana at the same time the Secretary of
| War informed General Shaftcr that
General Miles was not TO superscdc him
| in command.
\ large number of civilians were np-
| pointed to staff positions who were
without experience. but they rapidly
| learned their duties.
The chnrgcs preferred against the
! Secretary of War that he and members
of his family were Interested in sites
| selected for camps ana in contracts are
! without foundation. The ma jor general
commanding recommended the location
/ of camps at Chickamaura and Tampa,
ani an officer on the staff Of General
Miles selected the site for Camp Algcr.
| The Secretary strongly opposed the
| location of a camp at Miami.
! The Secretary of War did not learn of
| the condition Of the troops at Santiago
! Dc cuba until the round robin" was
| circulated, whom steps We're taken to
| bring the troops North.
ADJUTANT GENERAL ALL RIGHT.
The Office of adjutant general. the re-
port says. was administered satisfac-
tOrily.
INSPECTION DEPARTMENT..
y sufficient number OF inspections
were not made by this department.
Had such been the case the camp con-
dtions would not have been as serious
AS they proved to be. sanitary precau-
tons would have been adopted. and in
| the case of Camp Thomas the condi-
tons which finally brought about the
removal Of the camp would have been
discovered long before.
-MLnN o. officers Of this depart
| ment. including the inspector general
were transferred To the volunteer SER
vice and placed i'm command of troops
their place in the inspection corps be-
ing taken BY others less experienced
in inspection work. the result being
epidemics OF typhoid and irregularities
which had proper and frequent inspec-
| lions been instituted, would not have
| occurred.
The commission will show that this
department should be radically rcor-
| SaniZed.
GU AltTEHMASTEI' DEPARTMENT.
No irregularities have been found in
this department. Notwithstanding the
many charges preferred against it. The
contracts Tor clothing ana supplies
were found to be carefully drawn. in
the matter of horses il was found that
prices had been paid for splendid ami
mails ranging between sos and Sl26-as
cheap as any corporation in the country
could have bought them. SO far as the
clothing was concerned, it will be
found that in some cases the prices paid
were cheaper than those paid for the
same articles before the war.
; THE QUESTION OF TRANSPORTS.
y long chapter will be devoted to
transportation. The commission has
found no evidence Of scandal in the
matter Of purchases Of Transports not
w;hStanding charges made that Sec
rotary Algcr ana Colonel Heckcr were
scandously involved The prices paid
for the transports were low. and IT was
stated today by q gentleman familiar
with the facts that the Government
saved half Il million dollars through
colonel ficcker's transactions.
There was undue crowding on board
tho transports. the fault of the quar-
| tcrmaStcr in charge and the quarter
master officer on board. though 1t will
be admitted that General Shaftcr
should have taken action 10 prevent
such oVercrowdpg.
The commission Will present the facts
with reference to the transports in or
der that the President may take such
action against the officers responsible
as hc may deem necessary.
SUBSISTENCE DEPARTMENT..
,. The administration OF this depart
mont Will be commended. and attention
VIII he called to disbursements amount
ing 10 about 5000 GOO, ana the state