Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-08
TO INVESTIGATE
Continued from Page one)

When Mr.. Gardner left the Presi-
dent, he refused to say what answer
had been given to his questions. White
House officials said the formal state
ment given out would be the only COM
ment on the call.
Lodges Resolution
Senator Lodge introduced in the Senate
a resolution similar to the Gardner
measure pending In the House and asked
that it lie on the table until tomorrow. 1t
would provide for national security
commission to be composed of three
members of the Senate, three members
of the House and three citizens to be
appointed by the President.
Wilson's Attitude
President Wilson let 1t be known after
his conference with Rep. Gardner that
he was entirely in favor of the fullest
inquiry into military conditions by regu-
lar committees of the House and Senate
and added that there were no facts in
possession of the executive departments
which were not at the disposal of those
committees. In line with this attitude,
Senate James Hamilton Lewis, Democrat
whip of the Senate, introduced a resolu-
ton which would direct an exhaustive
inquiry by the military and naval COM
mittees of the Senate into the expendi-
ture of millions of dollars appropriated
in the past for national defence. Inquiry
would be directed to ascertain just what
had been provided by the expenditures
of late years and to ascertain actual mill
itary conditions. The resolution was re-
ferred to the committee on military af-
fairs.
Another military measure, submitted by
Senator Chamberlain of Oregon, proposed
the creation of council of national de-
fence to consist Of the secretary of state
as president, the secretaries of war and
navy, the charmen of appropriation. mil
itary, naval and foreign relations COM
mittees of the Senate and House, the
chief of staff of the army and an officer
of the navy, and heads of the army and
navy war colleges. Such a board would
be authorized to investigate conditions
of national defence and make recon-
mendations for improvements.
Senator Hitchcock had passed by the
Senate without debate resolution calling
upon the secretary of commerce for in
formation as to the extent ofexportation
of arms and munitions OF war from the
United States to belligerent foreign ma
tions or to Canada, existing contracts
in this country for expectation of such
materials and the normal condition of ex-
port of such materials in time of peace.
Later, Senator Hitchcock introduced a
bill which would prohibit the sale of mu-
nitions of war or materials for use in
such munitions during existence of war,
except upon proof that they were not to
be used against any country with which
the United States was at peace.
Gardner's Statement
Representative Gardner tonight issued
statement in which he said
1.-The President / think has overlooked
the fact that my resolution calls for a
report, as we'll as an investigation. Four
different independent committees, COM
posed of about 80 members of Congress.
are charged with the duty of laying down
our military policy in haphazard. unre-
lated sort of way. How can four indie
pendent committees adequately investi-
gate themselves and make an intelligent
report?
What the public wants to knowsis not
what Chairman Hay. Chairman Sherley
Chairman Padgett and Chairman Fitz-
gerld think of their own and their pred
ecessors' work, but what somebody else
thinks of it,.
II notice that the President in the
White House statement does not answer
my question as to the propriety of smoth-
ering my resolution in the committee on
rules without square yea or nay vote.
nor does he answer my question as to Of
fieers' testimony before the committee on
rules.
at may be easy enough to chloroform
my resolution and 1t may not be difficult
to chloroform, but all the chloroform in
the world can never lull to sleep the de-
mands of an alarmed public sentimen.
that the truth must be revealed
TWO THRILLING RESCUES
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