The Sentinel=record., 1917-12-12
CLOTHING SHORTAGE IS
 ALSO TO BE PROBEn
Decision to Investigate the War De- partment's Operations Was Made Unanimously by the Senate con,- nnlttee--Transportation Of Soldiers and Building cantonments Viii se Probed

Washington, Dec. li.-Staps were initiated in congress today tn vsh,air lulier information about and establish closer connection with tho aoyern- ments war activities, past and future
 A general inquiry into the work of the war department, espacia,ly in arming and equipplng the nations man power, was ordered by the sen ate military committee. Capital lead CTS said it was the forerunner of sim liar investigations by both senate and
 house committees of all phases of ex- cutiVe conduct of the war which. vpuld
 in measure accomplish tho p,irpose Of the proposed joint committee for the conduct of the war" THe joint committee idea was abandoned at the last session because of President VII.
 sons opposition. Inquiries by standing eonsressional
 committees Into the navy depart-
 ment's activities and the work of the shipping board and other war time l agencies of the government were said
 to be contemplated with a view to
 securing the greatest possible effi-
 ciency in prosecution of the var. The war department Inquiry will begin tomorrow, when General Gro zier. chief of ordinance. will appear before the senate committees at Sec
 retary Bakers decision to teatify re- sardfng ordinance manufacture and supply. Secretary Baker aid general staff officers. as we'll as derartmentai and field commanders. will follow. Senator Chamberlain, chairnlah of the committee, said much of tie testi- mony would be confidential And given tn executive session. though some sessions would be public.
 The decision to inquire, Into the war departments operations was said to be unanimous in. the senate com mitte and without partisan tInge. It came after two hours discussion of reports from senators Nh0 visited army camps during the recess of con- gress Senators Chamberlain, Wads- worth, Frelinghuyssen and others told of conditions observed and reported to them. especially regarding lack of clothing in many camps, lack of ordl- nance and unsatisfactory sanitary conditions.
 It is understood the committee heard of large quotas of r1sn in camp lacking overcoats and winter cloth ing, of ordinance shortage, resulting in the use of broomsticks for rifles and wooden makeshifts for cannon.
 The alleged clothing shortage and its possible relation to the large num- Der of pneumonia cases in the can- tonments were diseussed
 Transportation of soldiers and TO- ports that they have Beef crowded into trains and not properly fe4tioned and contracts for building canton ments and furnishing supplies are other matters on which tho investi- gators win touch.
 That the purpose of the army in qulry is constructive and not critical. was emphasized by Senator Cham berlain and others. He said 1t is pro- posed to inquire what. If any mis- takes have been made, extravagancss or errors committed and to assist in their repetition, as we'll Hs securing the greatest possible future 
 we propose to have punch put into the war preparations. if they need it." said another member Of the ito have new and younger blood and methods supplsnt old, if necessary and to insure the greatest future for our armies"