The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-01-25
Oregon Senator Reiteratcs
Chargcs-Says Truth Is
Kept From Wilson.
BAKER IGNORANT TOO
Entire Absence of Concrete
War Plan Asserted in
Vigorous Speech.
SUFFERING IN TIE CAMPS
Men still Without Overcoats
or Woollcn BlOuscs-Ill
Soldiers Neglected.
ST FFERfNG IN TIE CAMPS
Special Despotch 10 THs S->

Special Despdtch 10 THs St>
WAsHINGToN. Ian. 24.--s;enator Chann-
berlain Of Oregon defended himself to-
day against tho accusation OF President
Wilson that he had wt.:uily diatcrted the
facts brought out IN recent investiga.
tions Of army conditions by the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs. OF which
Mr Chamberlain is chairman.
He reiterated his charges of gross ra.s-
management, Incompetence, lack Of Gu
ordination and cooperation In the War
Department and the entire absence Of
any concrete American war plan. He
does not know the truth" Senator Cham.
berlain said. speaking of the President
To the thousand and more of listeners
who thronged the floor and galleries of
the Senate Chamber the answer Of the
Senator to the criticism OF the Pres,den,
seemed to MI to nicety the require
ments OF the situation. In a word the
Oregon statesman. accused Of distortinr
facts adduced IN committee evidence.
produced the testimony itself. and with
here and there qualifying sentence or
SO let the answer to the Prcsidcrts
charge against his credihili.y and HIS
integrity as reporter OF exciting cor
ditions be spoken BY the sworn word @.
others.
Commended on Both Sides.
No more impressive speech. no more
severe arraiEnment has been delivered
In the Senate of the United states within
the memory Of the oldest member-of tina,
body. Aside from the irteneIty % the
occasion. which in itself would havs
made more mediocre address carry IL
fair volume OF timely interest, the re-
pressed fashion IN which Senator Cham
berlain held himself within ne lines OF
temperance both IN word and gesture
drove home the successive points Of hi.
argument In telling fashion
Following the address he WAS the re-
cipient of warmest commerda ton from
members Of both parties in the Senate
Even among Democratic leaders who IN
the coming discussions of the bjlIs Of
Which Senator Chamberlain ia cosu.hor
and chief advocate will he opposed I.
him came to him with handciasps ard
assurances Of the sincerity Of his utter
ances.
Senator Chamberlain Won to hi. sid.
IN the argument men who had entered
the chamber to-day lukcwarm on tho
entire system OF changes sought BY MI
Cndmoerlaln ana his committee follow.
ing. As the speech proceeded changes
in expression marked the countenances
OF many members of the Senate. Nj
Chamberlain was winning votes and the
al ~ q m ~,
when the Senate reached the end OF RS
shorter than ordinary session an adj
Journ'nent was arranged until Monday
N hopes uncxpressed by the Demo
cratic leaders OF the elrcc. OF the Ore.
gon!an's address cooling down
Senator Chamberlairs speech occt-
pied nearly three hours. From his frs,
word to the las, Senators sat IN the,r
seats without movement or evidence o;
ehe slightest disposition to miss a word
As the speech progressed members o.
tho House Of Representatives thronxeG
into the chamber. filling every avail
able foot of space. and those who came
remained spcl'bound al the intense ear
nestness and unrestraincd yigor OF the
speaker,
Throughout the three strained hours
the Representatives listening stood.
shifting from ono foot to another but
never yielding FOR a moment. More than
half the membership Of the House was
in attendance IN the Senate, while a.
the other end of the Capitol Eepresen-
tative Heflin (Ala) was addressing an
aud!enc" OF six colleagues and tho
Speaker
The galleries also were packed 10
sufYocation, As early as 10 O'Clock a.
the morning the supply OF gallery tick.
cts had been exhausted When Sennto'
Chamberlain arose to his question o.
NJ y,ri,-ilnuo
or square foot OF aisle space :, be
had
Took FuN Responsibility.
! The reply o: Senator Chamberlain
| covered all the ground o. tie contro.
versy. As q preliminary tho Senator read
into the record not alone his speech de-
livered before the Securtry Ieagua II,
New York last Saturday but all the SUBJ
! sequent correspondence hetween himself
and the President not heretofore pub
/ lished. The letters spoke for themselves.
! They disclosed that once the President
! had seen tho first quotation of Senator
Chambc rlain's criticism of tie Admins
| tration he had written au Immediate de
mand for Senator Chamberlain TO OK
plain himself and admit or deny the au
| thcnt!city. Mr.. Chamberlain had ad-
mitted all responsibility and the nuthen-
ticity OF the fuller accounts OF his dis.
course and mad suggested he 20 over the
| facts with tho President, TO this lstte.
| he received no reply. but instead there
followed tho Presidents public denuncla
tton OF him.
Once tho letters oc tho President were
! IN evidence tho Oregon Senator opened
the hoodgates to his reservoir 81 facts.
and as they came In, full f'ood tumbl!nS
one over the other the effect on his hear
| erA WAS AlnORt magical IlIS Cisco,rac