The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-25
Silence of Leading Republican
Senators Indicates I heyttave
NoSympathy With Criticism
LEADERS OF PARTY
DO NOT CONSIDER
REPLY NECESSARY
Oregon Senator Takes Three
Hours to Arraign War De-
partment and Cites Case in
framing Camp

Washington. Jan. 24.~-AH the fury
Of accumulated criticism was let loose
here today and tonight against the ad-
ministration's conduct OF the war
Senator George Il. Cham beriain. oil
oregon. before an audience chat packed
I Sns uoor and the galleries OF the senate
chamber, spoke for three hoIrs In an
swer to the charge of President wal
son that his previous criticisms Of tire
military establishment had constituted
AN absolute distortion of the truth"
In the assembly room OF the Ma
donsi Press club tonight. Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt. former president
OF the United states, assaiiec the war
y policy of the government In terms OF
bitter reproach.
Advisers of the president declared
1nhesitatingly tonight that na would
not make a reply. Partisan politics,
they insist. is al the bottom CT the at
tacks, with Colonel Roosevelt they
claim. as the prime inspiration
Republicans Not In Sympathy.
a similar tack 10 taAen ~ the i'd
n1tnistration leaders in congress. who
point TO the silence OF men like SEN
ator Lodge and others az evidence that
even the Republicans are not all In
sympathy with the onslauShts
secretary OF w AT ShAArs upon whnhG
head was heAped the severest blows
tof the critics. tonight In an interview
admitted the truth of some OF the
charges made but declared unhesitat
ingly that the mistakes have been
reinedied
lie has ordered a n immediate In
vratigation into some OF the instances
Of mismansgenent cited in the speech
ct Senator Cham beriain.
Tomorrow the senate military Affairs
committee viii resume its investigs-
ton into the affairs of the war. with
Maior~GeneFal William G. Gorgas. sur
seon general OF the army, summoned
csntonments and training camps.
Fate of War Cabinet.
Meanwhile the fate Of the war cabi
net legislation remains In doubt.
though the chances Of it's passage are
slim. Prospect OF ministry OF NUM-
ttons is somewhat brighter, with the
Republicans under party caucus agree
ment, 10 support It.
senator Chamberlain spoke simply.
He In no orator. His voice lacks elo-
ausnce ana his gestures are awkward.
Every effort OF Senator Chamberlain
was directed TO proving that the fault
Of the fneeficteucy he alleged againsr
the war machinery OF the government
did not lie with the president, but
was due in part 70 the inability of the
president to get the truth OF the msa
upon whom he relies, He Justified his
speech not alone on the ground that
his reputation had been assailed. but
he declared. on the broader ground
that the safety OF the nation Is in-
periiled.
'It these delays are permitted to
continue" he declared. III we delay
too long getting our boys over there,
IL may be too late,
Direct as the attacks OF Colonel
Roosevelt were tonight on some fea-
lures Of the Administrations conduct
Of the war. his address was not as
vigorous as had been expected. The
president, he referred TO only once
He never mentioned the name OF Sec
Rotary of war Baker,
Rak~r Orders Investigation.
Secretary of War Baker tonight or
Hered an immediate Investigation into
the case OF soldier alleged to have
notice being given hts family. and
whose naked dead body Is said to have
been found by the soldiers father on
the door of n hospital ward.
A letter from the boys father. de-
Mailing the circumstances was read on
~ Senator Chamberlain In his reply
to the president.
Announcing the investigation. Sec
rotary Baker said
ssThis Ia not singular case. I may
Say. There have been other similar
cases reported to me. In each casN
there has been a prompt Investigation.
OF course IL has been impossible to
gather over IL million men without In
cfdents of this kind.
Lack OF Trained Nurses.
1T has been impossible to secure
trained medical attendants he con-
tinued Had these men been taken
xxyh 81
been cared for In most cases By their
mothers. sisters or wives Taken Ill
ne the camps they had. OF course. t.
be taken care of by employees
This must be remembered In judy
1 ing these incidents; that the army
had to get the nurses and hospital at
ksndants without stripping the regular
hospitals of the country. IL has been
/ dfffscult for even the regular tnsti
buttons to get help
but In each case where there has
bssn obvious neglect of patients there
wiil be. as, there has been, risid In
kestigation.''
Mr.. Baker refused to comment d.
| Fectly upon Senator Chamberlain's
peech except in this one instance. He
aid that he IL to go before the house
military affairs committee on Saturday
Ind Will there make a full detailed
Placement and submit himself to any
questions that may be asked.
Not Time to Reply.
He insisted that 1t was not proper
Tor him at this time to answer or COM
nsnt upon a speech made by a sena
" on the floor. 1t was made clear
the secretary. however. just what
Impressions the Chamberlain speech
Eere going forth and he consented to
iscuss the conditions revealed with
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