The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-02-16
SOM Z CRITICAL,
WAR INVESTIGATING COMMISSION.
MILDLY FINDS FAULT.

& tween Commanding General and HIS
superiors Dsplored- The beef Was All T.
Right Charges of General MILES Re-
sarding Chemicals Not stantiated.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.--The report
to the president last Wednes-
lay by the commission appointed by
him to investigate the conduct of the
war department. in the war with Spain
has been made public. The report IS a
unanimous one, all the members of the
commission having signed it except
Colonel Sexton, whose death occurred
Feb. 4. The report is a voluminous
document containing about So, 900 words.
An official abstract, prepared by the Sec
rotary Of the commission, was furnished
to the press for its convenience.
The commission has listened to all
who had any evidence to give, the re-
port says, and has done everything pos
sible to get at the real facts in the case.
In the beginning Of the report the state
ment is made that the commission has
discovered no dishonesty whatever.
Before proceeding to a specific de-
scription of the conduct and manage
ment Of the war, the report gives COM
ments and suggestions touching certain
matters which came under considera-
ton as logical consequence of the in
quiry pursued by the commission.
One Of these recommendations is that
the president should be empowered to
call upon retired army officers for serv-
ice in time of war; Another criticism
is that there is altogether too much
routine in the war department, the
methods pursued making it almost i'm
possible to transact the vast amount
Of business necessary.
Too Much Friction.
. 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 author
ity and responsibility in the war de-
part1nent has produced friction for
which, in the interest of the service, a
remedy, if possible, should be applied.
s'The constitution makes the presi-
dent commander-in-chief Of the army
and he cannot transfer that authority
to any other person. The president Sc
lects his secretary of war, who has his
confidence and who is his confidential
adviser. The commanding general is
assigned to duty as such by the presi-
dent and his duties are defined by the
military laws of the United States.
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 guarantee
that he will give, or that the secretary
nfs war will place in the general-in-chief
that confidence which is necessary for
the control Of the army Neither the
president nor the secretary of war
should have in command of the army a
person who is not working in harmony
with Them
Alger Mildly Criticized.
The report now takes up the war de-
partment and it's chiefs and subdivi.
sions, beginning with the secretary OF
war; H.. <..1 Ill.,. .@.,..,.. : L.. -
90 ss.The records of the war which have
been laid before us show that the score
tary Of war extended to all chiefs Of
bureaus cordial and full support and
promptly responded to every proper de
mand made upon him by commanding
officers. ::., E.. :"
'''No testimony has been presented
showing Intentional neglect Of duty MOI
any attempt to serve personal interests
The charges made that the secretary Of
war was primarily interested in con
tract purchases and other contracts O!
the war department., have been thor
oughly examined and found baseless.
I'm the judgment of the commission
there was lacking in the general admin
istration of the war department during
} the continuance Of the war with Spain
) that complete grasp of the situation
which was essential to the highest eff
cheney and discipline Of the army.
The Commissary Department.
t'The commission has carefully in
vestigated the subject Of the condition
quality and quantity of food supplies t
the army Almost without excep
ton it has been shown by the testi
mony taken that wherever the troop
were ordered, whether to. the -variou
camps in the United States or in Port
Rico Cuba and Manila. the rations pre-
scribed by law were on the transport
and at the camps with the soldiers.
$50 far as we have been able to asce1
tain there was but one occasion, that Q
q dayin front of, Santiago, when tn
troops were seriously short of rations
these had been supplied but throw
aside whom the men went into action
At times the vegetable ration was no
ofsgood quality, the potatoes and onion
being sdoiled. 7:gs, q. - t..
ssThis commission was organized til
e4th day of September last: Up to tn
21st day OF December its members ha
4 taken testimony in II different town
i and cities and nine camps, It also ha
/ received many hundred letters, commr
8 nications and newspaper clippings fro1
: persons living in all parts of the cour