South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-05

a
expenditure of absolutely necessary
amounts and not attempt 10 regu-
late the European thtater of action
from Washington, a blunder that
cost the British forces dearly and
tied the hands OF their commander
in-chief with red tape will have
been avoided.
As one member of the generals
staff has aptly put it. What we
need is a war department and not a
peace department" For example,
shortly after the declaration % war
by the United States a colonel i'm
charge of one of the bureaus abroad
found that it was physically impos-
sible 10 handle the work with his
present staff.
Without taking the precaution of
cabling TO Washington for permits
sion he engaged an extra steno-
grapher at the moderate salary of
SIS a week At the end of the
month his accounts. as usual, were
sent TO Washington to be audited
and paid. After some delay the col
onel received a note from some
adjutant-general or assistant 10 the
quartermaster-g general. in which that
official declared he could find no
record of an authorization from
Washington for the engaging of an
other stenographer in the bureau.
Charged Against Colonel.
Since that was so, he regretted,
etc. bat found that the salary of the
stenographer would have 10 be
charged against the colonel. and ac-
cordingly the amount would be de
Quoted from his monthly pay check.
The colonel found that such was the
case. Although he had been en-
gagged upon important government
work because Of the penuriousness
Of oficialdom he was forced to pay
for his own zeal in completing his
labor as rapidly as possible.
Gen. Pershing has asked for
large amount or appropriation for
the maintenance Of a comprehensive
intelligence bureau which will be
second TO none. not even Germany's.
IT is hoped at staff headquarters
that congress and Washington Will
realize the importance of the work
that falls under the scope of the in
telligence office.
Some Of the best trained minds of
two continents will be employed 70
meet, cope with and stamp out as
far as possible the insidious spy sys-
tenn that Germany has built up
throughout the whole of Europe. II
is an open secret and an endless
cause for worry in France and Eng
land that news OF important events
and manoeuVres has found its way
into the hands Of the enemy "a hours
after the plans we're conceived in
the inventors brain.
Fail to- Figure Correctly.
Another example on the question
Of expenditures may be seen i'm the
governments instructions sent 70
Paris shortly before the arrival of
Gen. Pershing and his staff. The or
ders instructed the Paris men TO
prepare accommodations for % men
and perhaps so clerks"
However. the Paris end went
ahead and made its preparations for
so men and GO clerks. engaging
quarters that might accommodate
them with a little squeezing. When
the general did arrive il was diScov-
cred that his immediate staff con-
sisted Of SO officers and So clerks.
10 say nothing of 66 enlisted men
and the group Of other officers that
had already preceded him 70 Eu-
rope
Now. by turning the kitchens of
the two small. two-story houses at
% and 81 Rue de Constantine into
workshops. by moving some of the
officers out into the back yard with
their typewriters (machines) and
orderles. or. as one officer put it. by
sitting on each others desks and
writing on the soles of their feet "
they are able to get some work ac-
complished.
At that. some Of the members of
the staff are apprehensive as to what
Washington Will say when it comes
70 casting its eye over the expense
sheets and notes that two houses |
have been engaged instead Of one.
that accommodation for 100 men
have been arranged for instead of
so. and that the bill for repairs and
instalment of furniture will probably
be twice what il was originally fig
ured. although the equipment Of the
houses consists OF nothing but kit
chen chairs and tables. electric lights
and telephones.
There is not even carpet on the
floor. nor curtains 20 the windows !
The highest men in the French gov
eminent and all the allied govern
ments call to pay their respects TO
the American commander and go
away wondering at the simplicity of |
the American equipment. setting il I
down rather as a tribute 10 Ameri- /
can practically than TO the short I
sightedness OF our war department I
During the past week Gen. Per
shings work OF the coordination OF /
the various departments hitherto !
scattered at random about Paris has !
still been going on. Although the |
direct result may not be apparent 10 |
the casual observer. 81 is the French