Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-04
Hitchcock Flags
War Department


So"sinuea tFvm fnee One
gress In large degree and generali
with good results. Now and then, how
ever there must be exceptions.
Il agree with Senator Chamberiai
that the President docs not know tn
real situation. He cannot give tw
months TO Investigation. as we hav
done. Like n king, surrounded by hi
court, he bears virtually only on
sidc, The people who complain do no
reach the President, nor even the mem
bers Of his Cabinet.
Shall the Congress- not be permitte,
10 amend defective machinery? Cai
one OF Its great committees not be per
mitted 10 report It's conclusion on |
pending blur Shall the Senate he evei
prohibited from discussing bills?
Il cannot believe our duty to the peo
pie would be performed by such veal
abdication Of responsibility.
TO use a slang phrase. 1t Is UP I,
u.s."
Hitchcock charged specifically that:
The War Department has fallen
down In most Of It's important func-
tions.
SECRETARY Bakers efforts 10 correct
defects In his department would be
futile.
The transportation system has fallen
down and II a Gigantic wreck A"
There is no power 20 coordinate
transportation across the Atlantic and
production.
Lack Of proper directing authority
has resulted In the present fuel situa-
tion. The present condition Of our
sh'pbuiiding IL nothing less than
shocking"
Efforts to move food for our ALLIES
and ourselves have miscarried.
The Nebraska Senator asserted tha
this situation was due to the failure e
make the various derartments work to
gether and coordinate their efforts.
THE President is quoted as object
ing to any change in the law on tn,
ground that he is responsible for tn,
conduct of the war;" said II tchcock.
1T would he n monstrous wrong tc
hold him responsible for the many short
comings. because nothing but the genius
of perfection and the power of omn'
science could enable one man to look
after these vast interests.
PRESIDENT CAN'T DO 1T ALL
HE cannot at one time design and
conduct our difficult foreign policy pe-.
form the duties of comm lnder-ln-chief
~ WV navy ttt az " y OWI
prime minister, design all legislation for
Congress to pass. dictate all Industrial
financial ard political activities OF the
country and look after the expenditure
of s250000,000 week 1t is out Of
the question and out of reason"
Taking up the failures of the War
Department" Hitchcock declared the
Military Affairs Committee, after con-
the revelations made at It's in
gestigations. decided 1t would serve no
purpose to make scapegoats of n few
individuals.
ut decided II would perform its high
est duty by recommending to the Senate
such change in the law as would give
the Executive an up-to-date, war-making
organization" he said.
I'VE found provisions for checks, eau
tions. delays, debates and disagreements,
but little or no provisions for prompt
decisions and energetic action" he as
serted Nine months after we entered
the war and three months after our men
were gathered in cantonmentn we found
In the dead of winter tens of thousands
OF men without overcoats, lacking
wooden brooches, without woolcn blouses
and other serious shortages. We found
most OF the machine gun compa MES un-
formed because they had no machine
guns. Even In December we find 1900
still kept in storage for some foolish
and inexplicable reason. while each
camp had been supplied with only
eighty machine guns
I'VE found that the first heavy artil-
lery of American make cannot be re-
ceived till July, and not much before
1919 can we expect to use In France
American heavy artillery in any great
quantity
eve found that we are only now.
nine months after entering the war,
lust brginning to work on ,wo great
powder plants to cost $50 000 90, all
though It vas evident last summer that
we must have a milton pounds a day
more powder than America ran now
We cannot ger powder
from these plants before next August,
I'VE found that though the medical
department aTwed for hospital ships
last July, they have not yet been or.
dered"
Hitchcock said he did not deny tina,
much credtable work had been done in
the War Department
REMEDIES SUGGESTED
Turning to the remedy, Hitchcock de-
cared:
"If q high-class man could be made
director Of munitions and be given power
10 buy all sup, lies needed by the various
bureaus of tho War Department he
would soon bring order out OF disordet,
cut red tape. stop delays and furnish
he American army with its supplies
promptly and econom cally
We would then locate and centralize
and authority. The bust
hess Of supplying the department would
be run on up-to-date methods of great
business concerns, Great Britain and
France had to come to It,"
THE President and the Secretary Of
War have evidently realized the defect
II the existing system and have at
empted TO change 1t without leglsla-
Ion but without success" declared the
He then referred to the removal Of
he heads Of the Ordnance and Quarter
master Generals Department and other
changes made.
"And now, since the introduction of
he bill creating a director OF muni-
ions, another step has been taken" he
aid. '"The Office Of surveyor of pur-
,hase Is created. with rather vague au-
hority and somewhat underlined duties
lie has no power In law. because legis-
alton Is necessary.
These great war bureaus should be
ocused In some authority that would
and coordinate them That
$ what Is proposed In the bill for
war cabinet of three men" he as
,erted.
1T Is not too much TO say that the
rreat transportation system of the
United States has broken down. II is
/ gigantic wreck today; even travel