Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-01-21
LEADERS CONDEMNED.
The War Commissions Report Will
, Censure Many.
Secretary A1Gcr VIII Not Escape.
While Miles, Brooke and Drecl-
inridge VIII he Criticised-
Congress Also Hit.

New York, Jan. 16.-The Herald's
Washington special says: Briefly put,
the commission to investigate the con-
duct of the war will place blame as fol
lows:
Secretary Alger-For weakness in his re-
lations with Mai. Gen. Miles; for permit
ting Gen. Miles to go to Santiago.
Gen. Miles-For his conduct before, dur
Ing and after the war; for his selection of
certain army camps For telling Secretary
Alger he was in the habit of making out
his own orders; for bringing unfounded
charges that bad beef was supplied TO the
troops in Porto Rico
Gen. Shafter-For certain points which
he admitted in his testimony.
Gen. Breckinridge-For leaving his de-
partment to take part in the Santiago bat
tie; for not making more inspections.
Gen. Brooke-For conditions at Camp
Thomas; for lack of inspections; for fail
ure to carry out proper sanitary regula-
tions.
Congress-For failure to make appropri-
ations for smokeless powder.
Report Nearly Ready.
President Mckinley will have in his
possession the full report of the war
commission within the next ten days.
This report, it is asserted, will not be a
whitewash of the army administration.
1t will be unanimous upon all essential
points. 1t will declare that the pri-
mary trouble is due to the lack of
proper military organization.
1t will show that Secretary Alger was
weak, especially in his relation with
Maj. Gen. Miles, but it will not find him
responsible for the camp horrors"
Subordinate officers will be blamed for
the conditions which existed with re-
spect to these matters. Neither the
secretary nor any member of his fam
lily, it will be stated, had any interest
in any of the camp sites.
Blamed for the Camps.
Mai. Gen. Miles will be criticised for
his conduct before, during and since
the war. The report will show that il
was he who recommended The location
of the camps at Miami and Chickamau-
ga; that it was one of his aids who Sc
lected the camp site at Camp Alger;
that before the war he recommended
the concentration of the regulars AT
Chickamauga, and that Secretary Alger
strongly objected to the location of a
camp at Miami, but was cverruied. 1t
will show that Gen. Miles was directed
by the secretary to make an inspection
trip of all the camps, but informed him
that he was in the habit of making out
his own orders. 1t is also stated that
the secretary should never have per-
mitted Miles to go to Santiago, though
an observation of this kind may not be
| included in the report. These instances
convinced the commissioners that the
| secretary should have taken steps to
compel Gen. Miles to comply with his
| instructions.
Beef Charges UnfOunded.
Coming down to the beef controversy
| the commission will find that Gen
Miles charges were unfounded, that the
| 13 officers whose reports Gen. Miles sub
mitted as showing the beef supplied foI
| the Porto Rican army was unfit for use
never served in Porto Rico and that
| there was absolutely no criminality in
any of the contracts made for supplies
| for the service.
So far as the Santiago campaign is
concerned, the commission will report
| that Gen. Shafter conducted that move.
ment as efficiently as could have been
expected under the circumstances. Nc
fault will be found with Gen. ShafteI
except as to the points which he in his
| testimony admitted.
The commission will recommend that
tt transport system be placed under
| the navy. Col. c. F. Humphreys, now
on Gen. Brooke's staff, who had charge
of the fitting out of the transports, will
| be called upon to-day to explain the
co dition of those vessels, and he will
have to make very good explanation
| to satisfy the commission. Command
| ing officers of the transports will alsc
come in for share of the blame.
Breckinridge Under Fire.
The commission will recommend the
radical reorganization of the inspector
| generals department, and, it is said
will sharply criticise Gen. Breckenridge
for his action in leaving his inspection
department to take part in the Santiago
battle, instead of staying at home to
| attend to his inspection duties. Had
there been more inspection the com
mission is satisfied the epidemic of ty
| phoid and many of the irregularities
which prevailed would not have oc.
| Cured.
Gen. Brooke will be criticised for the
conditions which existed at Camp
Thomas, and the medical department
will be blamed for lack of inspections
and failures 10 carry out proper sani
tary regulations
The quartermaster general will be ac
| quilted of charges of high prices paid
for animals for the army, and the re
port will state that he obtained then
very cheaply; but he may be criticised
for clothing furnished the men.
Why Congress Is Blamed.
The report will also show that con
| gress was responsible for the equip
ment of the soldiers with black powder
as the ordnance department did not gel