Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-02-05
England Tore Up About
the Purchase of
Army Horses.
A NOVEL STATEMENT
Could Have the Use of
"Our Chief Horse
Expert

London. Feb. 5.-In the house or
commons Monday evening Major Ar
thur Lee Conservative the British
attache with the United States army
during the Spanish war and
later British military attache at Wash
ington. said Great Britain had been
offered the services of the chief horse
expert of the United States army as
adviser i'll the purchase of American
horses for the British army. The reve-
latiOn was made during a heated de-
bate on the 'remOunt question, when
Major Lee said: THE accredited rep
resentative of the war office, Colonel
Wardrop, the attache at Vienna, was
given no opportunity of showing
what knowledge he possessed of the
resources of the country.
His Offer Was Ignored.
In the same way |. being military
attache at Washington, was not in-
formed that there was any Intention
of buying horses i'll the United States.
1 learned from the American newspa-
perS that British officers had been sent
to buy horses. but l was not Informed
who they We're, nor WAS | asked to
give them such assistance as my posi-
tiOn implied | was competent to give.
At the time L had the opportunity,
through the good will of Il high Off
cal, of getting the services of the chief
horse expert of the United States
army as adviser. | cabled the Sug-
gestion to the war office, but received
no reply
Incompetent, if Sathing Worse.
The debate on this question in the
house of commons causes widespread
Indignation which is as evident among
the strongest supporters of the govern
ment as among the members of the
opposition. The ministerial press
charges the war office with absolute
incompetence if nothing worse, and
demands Il searching inquiry limiting
at the possibility that the more impor-
tant departments of the war office
make no more creditable showing than
the remount department. The Globe
suggests that the war secretary. BrOd-
rick. ascertain the identity of the Off
cialS responsible for pigeonhOling and
not acknowledging Major Lees and
Colonel WardropS communications,
for the purpose of summarily and
ANONYMOUSLY diSmisSing them.
Government Supporters Shocked.
The supporters of the government,
The Globe adds, are shocked not only
by the revelations concerning the in
efficiency of the war office. but by the
official tone of BrOdrick'S and Bal
fourS defense. The former claimed
merit because he did not suppress the
investigating committees report. The
Times points out that lit is right and
honorable that a minister should de-
fend by all legitimate means the de-
partment he represents; but he is car
rying chivalry too far when he implies
the right to defend it by the suppress
sion of information which dearly con-
Germs parliament and the people to
know"
Wants No Guilty to Escape.
The st. James Gazette, referring to
the further Investigations proposed,
urges the need of fixing the RESPONSE
bility of individuals. saying: The ma
tion has been swindled. and 1t is right
that the Swindlers, whoever they are,
should be brought to book promptly.
Horses. or at least fOur-legged crea-
lures, have been bought for f33 when
only worth quarter of that sum. The
difference - three-quarters has gone
into the pockets of certain persons. If
they can prove the money got there
properly, we'll and good. If not. the
conclusions are obvious. There must
be no whitewashing."