The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-19
TOO MUCH DISEASE
In CAMPS
Continued from page ID

which believes that in no other way
will this government overcome tnt
handicap under which it is now work
ing by reason of the delay in get
ting started on field artillery ano
other ordnance. independent of Rep
resentative Medill McCormick's plea
for a department of munitions, Q
member OF the senate military com
mittee said today: =
This investigation means we vii
have a minister of munitions. II
may take some time to blow n Tor
off this war department situation;
but it will be lone and Well have a
mutations minister-a man who Will
have complete authority and respon
sibility.
Mccormick pointed to similar
offices in England and France with
the simplest organizer at the head OF
each. He based his conclusion upon
pleas of allied military experts from
America. Without thousands Of these
guns, he said, the war may be lost
Resuming it's sessions today the
committee expected to hear manu-
facturers of small arms and ammu-
milton.
Orders have been issued putting
into effect urgent recommendations
made by Surgeon General Gorgas for
removing and alternating conditions
which have led to disease n suffer
ing in American army camps, the
war department stated today.
Gorgas' recommendations and
statement of conditions as he found
them In the camps were given
nearly a month ago. They were pub
licly revealed only yesterday, but
were promptly followed by the chief
of staff, it was stated.
In accordance with Gorgas' recon-
mendations, orders were issued civ.
ing a tent for every five men instead
Of nine, along with establishment of
observation camps, installation of
issue of heavy clothing.
THE conditions revealed are as
founding said Senator Chamberlain,
| chairman of the military affairs COM
mittee, today. "The committee has
planned all along to go into them
fully when the proper officials take
the stand"
Committee members also want to
times stated that proper clothing
was being provided for men as fast
as they were being sem to camp.
In the house, Jeanette Rankin's
resolution for an investigation for
health and clothing records at Camp
Mills, Hampstead, l.. l.. will next
month bring up the entire camp mat
ter. The war department said there
has been marked improvement in
changes already ordered. Camp
Wheeler where measles and pneu-
monia have been epidemic, has
shown a gratifying decrease in both,
it was stated.
The clothing situation IS now
nearly remedied nearly all around
and the war department believes
there will be less complaints for SAM
tary conditions. But arrangem ents
are to be made to grill former Quar-
termaster Sharpe when he takes the
stand Friday in the senate military
inquiry. Sharpe was responsible for
providing clothing for the troops.
Gorgas' report that men were suffer-
ing through bitter weather because
summer clothing was all that had
been issued to them, has stirred the
committee.
Senator Wadsworth, New York,
who recently visited a number Of
] camps, brought back the same infor-
nation. More of it has been received
in letters and kilograms from rela-
tives of men in cantonments, some
of whom have died and others Of
whom have been made seriously i'll
because Of lack Of sanitation or
proper clothing.
Machine Gun Inquiry.
! . n A yrIrRnrrON ~ -.
on or about February 3, 1917-the
date of breaking relations with Ger
many-to interest the war depart
ment in a machine gun that could be
speedily delivered, met with the re-
buff from an ordnance department Of
fetal that 1--WE are not Interested"
This vas told today to the senate
military probers by L.. E. Stoddard,
vice president of the Marlin rifle cor
poration, New Haven, Conn.
Delivery of rifles for the American
army was delayed several months by
failure of the war department to
notify private arms makers in time
that their plants would be called up
on for a huge output.
This was another development at
today's session of the testimony oil
H. s. Kimball, president of the Rem
ington Co. Kimball and StCddard
were among the first civilian wit.
nesses the committee has heard.
Daily production Of rifles is stead
lily increasing, Kimball said.
He fully agreed with the change
made in the British Enfield rifle so
1t would use the same ammunition as
the American Springfield.
ION February 8 l told Colonel Rice,
head of the machine gun division, Of
the ordnance department, hat u
company had bought the necessary
machines to make machine guns for
American ammunition.
What did you do that for?' Col
onel Rice asked me.
1--WE think the United States, gov
eminent will be needing them, "
Stoddard said he replied.
We're not Interested was the
curt reply Of Colonel Rice Stoddard
testified.