The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-30
HAS REPUBLICAN PARTY FORGOTTEN THE DAYS OF
 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR?
(By George Creel.)

Washington, Oct. 30.-The Repuo- Ncan party, in attacking the mobil- ization of troops for duty att the American border, pays a poor com pliment to the memories Of the American people. Do MT. Roosevelt and MT. Hughes imagine that the passingo IS short years has wiped out all recollection of the neslects, indtfferences and corruptions that marked the treatment of volunteer forces during the brief war with Spain?
 There was the ''embalmed beer" scandal. for instance In the face of bitter and persistent protest, the Re publican administration permitted favored contractors to supply rotten meat to the soldiers. and, even in the day of complete exposure, not one of the millionaire poisoners was made to\ answer for his treason.
 In addition to "paper-soled shoes, that sent men tramping over rough ways in bare feet, there were failures to supply the right weight of under wear, the proper kind of clothing, the sufficient quantity of medicines. Has MT. Roosevelt forgotten the famous round robin" of protest that he sign ed in Cuba with various others equal
 For long months National Guard regiments were herded in camps lacking in a decent water supply and in sanitation, and were held in them long after the need had passed. The mobilization was accompanied by every stupid blunder that could be made. by every inconvenience and every discomfort.
 Who has forgotten the shame of Montauk Pinot? A "death camN the papers called it, ravaged by pre- ventable disease, cursed by malad- ministration, and a grave for scores of American boys.
 Even did it stand alone, the record of 1916 is honest, able and efficient, but by comparison with the disgrace of 1898, it is a miracle of intelligent endeavor.
 Secretary of War Newton D. Baker. whose word has never yet been ques- tioned, makes the following authori- tative statements of fact concerning the condition of the border camps:
 "For three months, an average of 10000 National 4hardsmen have been stationed at various points along the Mexican line During this period, the death rate has been. TWO per thousand per year. Here in Wash ington, a community far advanced in its sanitation and health. measures. the death rate is seventeen per thous- and per year. -
 'AThe percentage of sickness, by that mean the number of men given medical treatrnent, Is less than per cent.
 H"Of the 37 deaths in the National Guard that have occurred to date, nine were from accident and 2S from disease. Of tfis latter number. the majority were due to organic com piaints of such secret nature that they escaped the examinations of the medical officers at the time of mus tering in. -
 'It is on these figures, as we'll, as on the enthusiastic reports of every expert sanitarian sent ito report by civilian bodies. that I base the. claim that the border camps have establish ed higher standards than any known before. <c7
 Let me say that it is not from the men themselves that complaints have , come" he added. 'In every instance, false reports have been traced to a political origin, Nspringing from sources unscrupulous enough to har- rass the United States in a crisis, cruel enough top lay upon the fears dt mothers and fathers. It was with reference to this organized campaign of falsehood that General Funston sent me the following telegram on August 2:
 CT wish to call attention of the War Department to the carnival of lying being indu1ged in by many of the correspondents who accompanied the state troops to the border. I have never seen or heard of anything that approaches it for sheer maliciousness and shamelessness. I have endured these pests as long as I propose to and shall hereafter bar offenders from camp and prohibit them from accompanying troops on the march,
 "One New York poper," said MT. Baker, twas peculiarly bitter in its attack upon the conditions that sur rounded the New York troops. ] ordered an instant investigation of the charges in detail, and I have here the report of General O'Ryan, com- manding the New York Division. You will notice that he branos each charge as a lie, backing up his de- nial with sworn afidavts from all parties concerned. Onel of this cor respondents tricks was to quote from the testimony of regular officers criti- cizing the rations issued in 1898 in such manner as to make people be- ueve that the comments had refer ence to the rations now being serv- ed on the border.'
 What about the scourge of para typhoid among the regiments that you were supposed to be concealing from the pub1ic?" I asked. T.
 ''Sick reports are received every week, and are accessible to all. cor respondents. Concealment of disease is an impossibility. With regard to paratyrhoid, at no time did these re- ports show more than S5 cases among the 10000 men. It is also we'll to understand that the complaint is only mild form of typhoid, and that there were only two deaths from 1t.
 'No,'' he said thoughtfu1ly. "the people of the United States have nc cause to take less than complete pride in the officers of the regular army and National Guard upon whom great task was laid. have never been a believer in fact suppression. Hiding a sore is a poo, way to cure it, and if evils existed in the border camps, I would be first to handle muckrake. But they dc NOT exist AS far as money care