The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-01-31
Thursday January 81, 1918.
AMERICAN EFFICIENCY CALLED
A JOKE IN FRANCE.

JONE IN TpHtNS-s
The investigation by the senate
committee on military affairs gave
the American people severe jolt, but
even then they were slow to criticise
the administration, feeling confident
that the revelations would result in
an immediate reorganization Of the
war department on lines that would
. respond to the urgent demands of war
But In this they misjudged the atti-
tude of the president, who, instead of
recognizing the deplorable condition
and the total lack of organized eff
cheney has come to the defense of the
secretary Of war and publicly de-
nounced the chairman of the invest
igating committee, charging him with
gross and unjustifiable distortion of
the truth. About the same time Sen
ator Stone, chairman Of the senate
committee of foreign relations, on the
floor of the senate made partisan
attack upon republican leaders, going
to the extent of charging them not
only with attempting to embarrass the
administration for partisan advantage,
but with being in the service of the
kaiser.
AS a matter of fact, republicans in
congress and the republican press of
the country have supported the adj
ministration most loyalty, and have
consistently refrained from criticism
that might be construed to embarrass
the president in handling the great
questions involved in the prosecution
of the war. This does not mean that
they have approved of all he has done
or proposed to do; it was merely
recognition of the fact that the re-
was HIS anu liittl ilO pa
tisan considerations should be per-
mitted to stand in the way of giving
him the most loyal support. But the
attack of the president upon Senator
Chamberlain and the slanderous al
legations of Senator Stone directed at
haa hn 1,n
situation entirely, The president has
challenged the charge of inefficiency
as shown by the war department in
vestigation and has boldly taken po-
sition in support of those who are
responsible for it, and the libelous
broken the seal upon the lips of pat
riotic republicans who through loyalty
to the president refrained from saying
what they knew to be true and which
has been proved by the investigation,
The bars are now down and it is not
OHiy thC AiSht, bdl tiiS uuty vi tNCIy
itizen to demand that the man who is
responsible for the breaking down OF
the war department be removed, and
that men, practical men, trained men,
men Of experience in handling large
affairs shall be placed in charge of
y-ar nrapa ra tinps
When the United States declared |
war against Germany it was hailed by |
the people of France and England as
the turning point of the war; The
Unlimited resources of our country, |
backed by American efficiency, would |
bring strength to the cause of the al
lies which spelled the doom of the
kaiser. How do they view us now? I
There is no doubt about our resources.
hut in France American efficiency is
a joke This Is partially explained by
a correspondent of the Chicago Tri-
Dune, VINO says
For five months q write of condi-
tons up to Christmas day. the Amer
lean troops had been in France and
the showing of the United States sup
ply and transportation service was as j
fellows: 6
Five days advance rations. i
Shortage Of shirts and ponchos. I,
mo reserves of heavy shoes to re-
place the lighter ones, which were not }
adapted to service in France and have I
not worn well; or of clothing which is Id
not warm enough, and, as to over p
coats, ill-suited to trench work.
mo rubber boots, and already few u
cases of trench feet" that strangely
development of this war, are
appearing. Trench feet--and we as e
yet only playing at war. Il
Shortage Of wooden socks except c.