The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-12
CONGRESS PLANNING ID PUT FUNGI" IN
 WAR PREPARATIONS
General Inquiry Will Be Started With View to Correcting Any Mis-
 takes Now Existing

Washington, December 11.-Steps were fuller information about and establish
 closer connection with the government $ war activities, past and future.
 A general inquiry into the work of the war department, especially in arm- ing and equpping the nations man power, was ordered by the Senate nnili- tary committee. Capital leaders said it was the forerunner of similar investiga-
 ticns by both Senate and House com
 mittees of all phases of executive con- l duct of the war, which would in a meas ure accomplish the purpose of the pro- posed joint committee for "the conduct
 of the war The joint committee idea was abandoned at the last session be-
 cause of President Wilson's opposition l Inquiries by standing congressional committees into the navy departments s activities and the work of the shipping board and other wartime agencies of the government were said to be contem- plated with a view to securing the greatest possible efficiency.
 The war department inquiry will be- gin tomorrow, when General Crozier, chief of ordnance, will testify before the Senate committee, at Secretary Bakers direction, regarding ordnance manufac- ture and supply. Secretary Baker and general staff officers, as we'll as de- partmental and field commanders will follow. Senator Chamberlain, chairman Of the committee, said much of the tes-
 timony would be given in executive ses- sion, though some of the sessions would
 be public
 The decision to inquire into the war
 departments operation was said to be
 unanimous in the Senate committee and without partisan tlnge. It came after two hours discussion of reports from senators who have visited army camps during the recess of Congress, Sena- tors Chamberlain, Wadsworth Freling- huysen and others told of conditions ob- served and reported to them especial ly regarding lack of clothing in many camps, lack of ordnance and unsatisfac- tory sanitary conditions
 It is understood the committee heard of large quotas of men in camp lack ing overcoats and winter clothing of ordnance shortage resulting in the use of broomsticks for rifles and wooden makeshifts for cannon. The alleged clothing shortage and it's possible rela- ton to the large number of pneumonia cases in the cantonments were dis cussed.
 Transportation of soldiers and reports that they have been crowded into trains and not properly rationed, and con- tracts for building cantonments and fur nishing supplies and other matters on which the investigation will touch.
 That the purpose of the army inouiry is constructive and not critical was en- phasfzed today by senator's Senator Chamberlain said it is proposed to in- quire what, if any, mistakes have been made, extravagances or errors commit ted tosprevent the repetition as well as securing the greatest possible future ef- ficiency. We propose to have punch put into tho war preparations if they need it." said another member of the committee. ITO have new and younger blood and methods supplant old, if necessary, and l to insure the greatest future efficiency"