The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1899-02-15
BLAME ISPLAOED.
The War Investigators Report Is,
Made Public.
many Criticisms OF the Omcial Conduct
o1Ihe War are Made and 1t Is
shown How Mistakes Can
Be Avoided in Future.

by him to investigate the conduct of
the war department in the war with
Spain was made public last night. The
leading features are as follows:
During the recent war many posi-
tions were filed by the appointment of
civilians to which retired officers could
have brought professional training,
valuable knowledge and large expert
ence. In the matter of regimental Off
GERS the commission found that all
volunteer commands officered by men
of military experience Jared much bet
ter than those officered by amateurs.
The soldiers were more effectively
cared for, enjoyed better health and
were better fed and clothed. The
commission recommends for the future
strict examination into the qualifi-
cations of all officers appointed to the
army.
One of the lessons taught by the war
is THAT the country should hereafter
be in better state of preparation for
war. Suggestions are made that large
supplies of all the material not liable
to deterioration should be kept on
hand, to be continuously issued and re-
newed, so that in any emergency they
might be available.
Perhaps the most significant utter
ance in the whole document so far as
concerns the discipline and efficiency
of the. army, comes next. For many
years the divided authority and re-
sponsibility i'm the war department has
produced friction, for which in the in
terest of the service a remedy, if possi-
BILE, should be applied. The constitu-
tion makes the president the commands
er-in-chief of the army and he cannot
transfer that authority to any other
person. The president selects his Sec
retary of war, who is his confidential
adviser. 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 will place in the gem
eral-in-chief that confidence which is
necessary to perfect harmony. Neither
the president nor secretary of war
should have in the command of the
army an officer who is not working in
harmony with him.
The report now takes up the war
department and its various chiefs of
subdivisions, beginning with the sec
retary of war. The records of the war
department, which have been laid be-
fore us, show that the secretary of
war extended to all chiefs of bureaus
cordial support and promptly respond
ed to every proper demand made upon
him by commanding officers. No tes-
timony has been presented showing
intentional neglect of duty nor any at
tempt to serve personal interests. The
charges made that the secretary of war
was pecuniarily interested in con-
tracts, purchases and other transac-
tons of the war department have been
thoroughly examined and fohnd base
less. In the Judgment of thd commits
sion there was lacking in the general
administration of the war department
during the war with Spain that COM
plete grasp Of the situation which was
essential to the highest efficiency and
discipline of the army.
There were about 250 regiments, bat
teries and separate organizations in the
army, from only % of which came
complaints, aside from those affecting
the medical department. Investiga-
ton has shown that the most of these
complaints were because of lack of
supplies not obtainable at first, or were
due to the ineXperience of officers in
command, not, so far as we can dis
cover, for any intentional neglect.
The commission finds that the in
spector generals department was not
as efficient as it ought to have been.
There seems to have been question as
to the authority by which inspections
we're to be ordered.
Great complaint Was made of lack of
transportation facilities at the camp
at Montauk Point, N. Y. Many COM
plants were made In reference to un-
necessary delays and lack of prompt
ness on the part of the quartermas-
ter's department in moving regiments
and in the care of sick and GONZALES
cents returning home either with their
regiments or alone.
The delay in some instances in re-
ceiving medical supplies at Santiago
seems to have been partially due to
carelessness in loading them on the
transports. The steamers Seneca and
Concho were used as hospital ships for
the return of sick ard wounded from
Santiago in July. Their conditions for
this purpose were very unsuitable.
The commission has carefully inves.
tigated the subject of the condition,
quality and quantity of the food sup.
piled to the army. Almost without ex.
ception it has been shown by the tes.
timony taken that wherever the troops
were ordered, whether to the various
camps in the United States or in Porto
Rico, Cuba and Manila, the rations
prescribed by law were on the trans.
ports and at the camps with the sol.
diers. So far as we have been able to
ascertain there was but one occasion
that of day, in front of Santiago
when the troops were seriously short
| of Tations.
The commission is of the opinion
that no refrigerated beei furnished by
contractors and issued to the troops
during the war was subjected or treat
ed with any chemicals by the con.
tractors or those in their employ.
Of the medical department the re
port says that the shortcomings in ad
ADMINISTRATION and operation may justly
be attributed, in large measure, to tht
hurry and confusion incident to tn,
assembling of an army of untrainet
m j a. - L. Il.