The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-12-12
Wide Range for ArmyProbe
Covering All Phases D..
of Delay.
FIRST HEARING TODAY
Will Dig Deep Into Fuel
and Food Admins
tratiOns.
NEW DRAFT BILL PUT IN
"Pitiless Publicity" Is Motto
Of Legislators Who Seek
Facts About Conditions.
NEW DRAFT BILL PUT IN
SDecio, Despofch to Tug srS.

Special Despdfch 10 TUE Sun.
WARRINGTON, Dec. 1i.--The Senate
has determined to turn on tho light.
After week Of halting prelim'nari&s
and furtive suggestions that some OF
the activities Of the Executive branch
Of tho Government warrant Q closer
scrutiny than mere offhand observation
the new spirit Of Congress manifested
itself to-day In the sudden determine
ton TO investigate a: once Within I've
hours three Investigations had been o..
dered. They were:
An Investigation OF the military sit
uation as to ordnance. supplies and
general conditions in the camps and
cantonnents by the Committee on
Military Affairs.
An Investigation o. the sugar short
age by the Senate Committee on
Manufactures, ordered by the Senate
In response to a resolution by Senator
Lodge tMassachusetts).
An Investigation OF the entire coal
situation with a special investigation
or the conduct and components Of the
Fuel Administration. which was EN-.
bodied along with the sugar probe In
the Lodge proposal.
The Senates s action was taken to mara
the swapping OF legislative patience NJ
tho protraction OF the season Of Execu-
tive secretiveness and Is regarded in
Washington as the first demand for that
"ptiiess publicity" which was promised
| the country almost Ave years ayo.
Extensive Programme PI.nu-A.
! Senator Chamberlain. chairman OF tho
Military Affairs Committee. announced
the inquiry probably would cover a wide
I range. Questions Of shortages Of cloth
! ing for tho National Army, health, de-
fcienc!es In rifles and field ordnance and
J army contracts, he said would be in
vestiEated.
Tho purpose Of the committee Is not
20 cr'tic!se but to secure lnforration-
said Senator Chamberlain. There hays
/ been some complaints. covering many
| army matters, and We desire to look
into them, particularly regarding re-.
ported shortage of clothing, ordnance
and other equipment"
we propose to have punch put inte
u
SAID another member OF the conmitte.
! 10 nave new and Younger blood ana
| Nletnods suppl3nt old, II necessary and
10 insure the greatest future efficiency"
! IL Is believed here that the investiga-
Won is the forerunner Of similar ones hy
noth Senate and House standing com,
mittees into all phases OF the executive
tohuuc! or tho war. This would accom-.
piiSh the purpose OF tho rroposed jo,r>
'mlnitten
which was abandoned al the last session
because or the opposition Of the Presi.
uenI Inquiries into the activities Of tine
Navy Department and the SHINING
board and other war time agencies are
forecast. All the Investigations, il Is re.
ported, will be to speed I'D American
plans and to provide greater efficiency,
War Inquiry Bcsiu. Mt Once.
IN" investigation into the War De-
f.i tmeht Viii ne started to.morrou.
when Gen. Crozier, Chief Of Ordnauc.
VIII appear AZ Secretary Bakers direc-
t!on To testify on ordnance manufacture
ana supply before the Senate comnit,es
secretary Baker is scheduled to follow
ana Held commanders will come after
MIN Most OF the testimony will be
tahen IN executive session and will be
confidential, although portions will he
given to the public.
, Inc lnNestisatio1 ot the military sit
, uation has been promoted by Senator,
Wadsworth of New York and Freljny-
/, huysen of New Jersey. both RepubIic,n.
,, These Senators have made repeated visits
10 camps and cantonments throughout
the country. Both arc convinced tina.
there is something more than shortage
hack OF the deficiency Of supply. most
particularly with regard to ordnanc.
Tonight Senator wadsworth said:
!, III ie the spirit Of getting az this
Facts and the reasons why our troopS IN
cantonments afer the United States has
been nearly nine months nj war are still
possessed Of only. about 90 per cent oi
the necessary r.fes. Seemingly and
speak from personal ohservat' OF only
five OF the thirty-tvo cantonments. there
are various shortages in the matter al
. the supplies Of the soldiers which de-
mand some sort Of an explanation
MY own observations disclosed tina,
J, IN the question OF cl'thi,g. particularly
!, OF warm winter wear. :or the soldier th,
u shortage was speedily being corrected
but at the Same time II was already vel
into tire winter. and the men in the oan
tonments ware In many places still n
u olive drab cotton clothing and tho supply
OF woollen AZ parel and overcoat.. to SAL
n nothing OF blankets. wa, Just beginning
= To appear.
{ Food suppiies Are Good.
"Of the fjod supply OF the soldier on,
). cannot speak in too high terms The foo,
supply Ia OF superior quality and ampl
quantity and the men like Il. and full
: stomachs 20 a long way toward inducing
n spirit of contentment with camp an,
l. cantonmeNt life. But nevertheless tn
j. clothing question is one upon which W
h are not prepared to anticipate an an
- ewer. and at the same time one on whic'
i the answer will nrnbably be favorable.
}. but In ordnance there are question
e which must be answered The machin
h gun sections of the new National Arm,
L have yet to see "A machine gun. Th'