Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-25
Sen. Chamberlain Answers
WILSON IN Senate Speech
Declares President Is Ignorant
of True Situation and In
efficiency of War Depart
ment Officials

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.-Standing
firmly by his charge that Americas mil
itary establishment is enmeshed in in
efficiency, Senator Chamberlain, of Ore
gon, chairman of the military commit
tee, replied in the senate today to Presi-
dent wilson's denunciation of his recent
New York speech, by repeating the
statement which drew the presidents
fire, aud declaring that the president
himself does not know the truth.
Senator Chamberlain read letter re-
ceived from President Wilson opposing
the creation of a minister Of munitions.
He said he did this to counterfeit the
presidents charge that he had not been
consulted regarding proposed legisla-
ton
After speaking nearly three hours.
Senator Chamberlain concluded with
plea that he was only doing his duty
in arousing the country to it's danger.
and that he would support the presi-
dent although grossly malgned." SEN
ator Kirby, of Arkansas, a Democrat,
took up the reply.
Senator Cham berlsin declared he would
show that the deaths of the hundreds
and thousands of men at environments
and camps we're due to the war depart
ment and chat all epidemics could have
been prevented If the war department
had been effective
Six thousand people clamored for ad-
nittance to senate galleries which hold
fewer than 1000. Not since the presi-
dents war declaration message has
there been such excitement at the cap
itol as developed today.
In beginning his address, Senator
Chamberlain said the president had at
tackled both his veracity and integrity
heretofore unchallenged, but that in re-
plying he did so without any personal
feeling against the president.
For twenty-four years" Senator
Cham berlain said, 81 have served the
public in my state to the best of my
ability and in all that time have never
had by veracity called in question nor
my integrity fmpeached, and have
passed through some bitter campaigns.
1t is, therefore, with some feeling OF
humiliation and also sadness that rise
to a question of personal privilege when
my yeracity has been called in question,
not by an ordinary citizen; not by one
Of nv colleagues but by very distin-
guished gentleman who has the love
and admiration ofthe people and who
by their suffrage occupies the highest
place in the gift of the people and,
may say, the highest place OF any man
in the world.
eft is therefore with much feeling
that rise to address myself to the at
tack made upon me and L do so without
any feeling of unkindness."
Country Involved
"These personal charges against me
amount to nothing to the American peo-
pie but affect policies which may in
volve the future of this country if not
the entire world.
Senator Chamberlain said he had been
70
Security league, accepted on short no
tice and without time to prepare an
address. He recalled that on the dais
with him were Alton b. Parker, Theo-
dore Roosevelt and Julius Kahn and
that the audience was "a representative
body that for patriotism can not be ex-
celled by any like body in the United
States" He then reiterated that he as
sumed responsibility for the speech as
reported by newspapers and had read
to the senate a verbatim report pub
lished in the New York Times
Senator Chamberlain, after having
read to the senate a verbatim copy of
the speech for which the president de-
nounced him, declared that he adhered
to what he had said
Press Reports Accurate
Upon his return to Washington. Sena-
tor Cham berlain said he received letter
| from President Wilson containing quo
tation from the New York World and
asking if the quotation was correct. The
president wrote that he did not Like to
comment on the statement until he knew
positively that the senator had actually
made them.
The letter was received too late for
a reply Sunday, Senator Chamberlain
continued, "but in letter sent to the
White House the following day, he re-
piled that he had been quoted substan-
TALLY correct in the World, but asked
the president to read the entire speech
as printed in the Times instead of only
| a part OF 1t
! Senator Charnberlain's letter added
that he was discussing only the policy
"or lack of policy of the military es-
tablishment. After stating his exper-
fence in the military affairs and testi-
mony in the committees Investigations,
the senator's letter continued:
| II believe l know something about
the deficiencies in the military establish
ment, deficiencies which are clearly rec
oguiZed and proven, in system
that ought to be remOdeled for the prop
er prosecution of the war, and
have these disjointed and unco-ordinat-
ed defects weeded out"
Received No Reply
In his letter the senator also offered
to 90 over the whole situation with the
president, but said he received no reply
and on the following day the presidents
statement criticizing him was published.
which statement l adhere and repeat
before this body.
The people of this country may not
sec this as / do, but as chairman OF the
military committee, as an American
citizen and member of this distin-
g11ished body l felt that l should say
the things that are in me and if /
succeed in making a rift in the clouds
through which the American people may
see 1 wHl feel that my efforts have
not been in vain"
Now that my truthfulness has been
I questioned" Senator Chamberlain coa-
tinued. 81 feel it my duty to tell the
country something I might not have
told It under ordinary circumstances