Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-02-16
THE REPORT OF
THE WAR BOARD
Investigating Commission Finds
Much to Commend and lit
tie to Criticise.
MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
Gencral-in-Chief Needed 60 Avoid
Friction in War Department
Medical Bureau Weak
;. Report in Detail.

Washington, Feb. 13.-Thc report
submitted to the president last
Wednesday by the commission APP
pointed by him to investigate the con
duct of the war department in the
war with Spain, was made public yes
terday The report is an unanimous
one, all the members of the commits
sion having signed it except Colone
Sexton, whose death occurred Febru
airy 4.
The report is a voluminous docu.
ment 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 report opens with a review OF
the organization of the commission on
September "a, with General Grenyille
NJ. Dodge as president and Richard
Welghtman as secretary. The com
mission convened on September &c
The report then sayss
Among the first sets of the COM
mission was to ask the secretary of
war, the adjutant general, the quarter
master general, the commissary gen.
eral and the surgeon general to trans
init all the complaints received by
them touching the administration of
their respective departments. The
commission on September 81 made
public invitation through the press to
tall persons having knowledge or belief
OF any official wrong or dereliction to
submit their statements in writing. ac-
companied by such collateral proof or
information as might be at their dis
posal.
This invitation met with liberal
response. Hundreds of affidavits, let
tiers, newspaper clippings, editorial ar
ticles and sermons We're received, all
of which Were thoroughly and la
boriously Investigated, as will appear
In the testimony taken by the com
mission and various exhibits and APP
pendices to be published hereafter.
Next. the secretary of war was re-
quested to direct the various chiefs of
departments under him to furnish the
commission with n statement of the
condition of their respective depart
ments at the outbreak of the war and
the operations of the same during the
period of hostilities.
This communication recited i'm de-
toll the subjects on which information
was desired. comprising acts touching
the mobilization of troops and their
organizations; the amount and kind of
camp and garrison equipagc on hand
at the beginning of the war, the
amount subsequently, purchased; sim
liar information as to which of the
volunteer regiments were armed and
equipped in the various state camps:
now the location of the camp of gen
eral rendezvous was determined: full
particulars as to the transportation of
troops; an account of the quantity.
quality and kind of food furnished in.
formation as to the tentage, beds,
linen, medicines and all other neces.
saries for the hospitals; as to whether
the medical staff was efficient and as
TO the conditions and operations of the
engineer and ordnance departments.
Examined Nearly 500 Witnesses.
During our sessions we examined
over 495 witnesses. An of these ,vera
sworn or affirmed, except one, who de-
clned to take the oath, and each wit
!, ness was interrogated by every mem
Der OF the commission who desired to
40 so. we have examined the score
..ary OF war. the commanding general.
heads OF departments. officers of CORPS.
DIVISIONS. btlgades, regiments and
companies. non-commissiuned officers
ana prlvates, nurses and persons from
1he many employments in private life.
NO man or woman who has stated TO
us that he or she had any material
matter touching the subject of our in
curry to communicate has been re-
fused a hearing.
Amy charge of corruption or init
nation of fraud or bribery in connec.
tion with the letting of any contract.
even a hint of wrong doing, has been
carefully investigated
1T may be said now, at the BEGIN.
nlng OF this report, that there has been
no evidence before us that anyone i'm
or connected with the war department
mas dlshonestly received dollar. We
nave made persistent efforts to secure
the attendance of persons to whose
names rumor had attached an allepa
ton that they knew of corruption OF
officials in the war department. but
these men have either denied the state
ments attributed to them, or have
maintained silence when invited to tell
what they knew"
Before proceeding to a specific de.
scflPtlon OF the conduct of and the
management of the war the report
gives comments and suggestions
touching certain matters which came
under consideration as logical conse.
quence OF the inquiry pursued by the
commission. Referring to the ques.
ton of retired officers. the report saws:
During the recent war many posi-.
tions Were filled by the appointment
of civilians, to which retired officers
could have brought professional train.
ing, valuable knowledge and large ex.
perience.
I'm the matter of regimental off.
GERS, the commission found that all
volunteer commands Differed by men
of military 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 recommends for the
future a strict examination into the
qualifications of all officers appointed
TO the army, regular CIR volunteer The
establishments of schools of instruc-
ton for inexperienced officers taken
from civilian life to meet the emer.
gency created by the war is highly
commended. Quite number of re gu.
lar officers assigned to the command
OF volunteer troops adopted this expe.
dent and the reslllfs aera a,n;nan4l..