The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-26
1T IS A CRIME TO
HIDE FACTS FROM
NATIONS PEOPLE
Senator Lodge Would Inform
Us of Our Peril.
Dramatic Attack on Govern.
ment in Congress.
SENATORS JOIN IN THE ATTACK
Pitiless Publicity Only Means
To Be Used Now.
s.The Hun, Ere Long. May be
on Our SOil.'
SENATOR'S JOIN IN THE ATTACK
s.The Hun. Ere Long, May Be
on Our SOil.s

washington. March 26.-Stirred by
news of further British and French
under the German drive
n France, senators today launcheo
weeping attack on the American war
government.
The criticism included charges or
;. ilure of the airplane and shipping
programs. lack of guns and an attack
upon the censorship for failure 10
inform the people in this dark hour
Coincidentally, there was hint OF
army gossip in the appearance of NAL
General Leonard Wood in conference
with Senators Lodge. Wadsworth ana
others in the capitol today just pre-
vious to the developments on the floor
Following are some of the verbal
shots fired at the war administrations
Senator Lodge, Massa chusetts:
Il am going to tell the truth, 1t
is crime in this dark hour to
keep from the American people
facts well known to the enemy. we
have no airplanes in France. no big
guns. We've built but two ships.
Senator Thomas, Colorado:
The Hun may ere long be on
our soil. We must awake, quit de-
ceiving ourselves and mass every
resource now"
Senator johnson, California;:
There is only one remedy-piti-
less publicity
Senator Poindexter. Washington:
The time when silence is golden
has passed, for me-when our air
plane program has failed so terri
bly, that it is a scandal to the en-
tire world.
Senator Hitchcock. Nebraska:
I'VE are ninety days behind with
our fighting planes"
Senate Fall, New Mexico.
The only way the president can
be reached now is by giving the
American people the information
he failed to assimilate."
Pitiless Publicity.
Crowded senate galleries disregard
ed strict senate rules and broke into
long and noisy applause when Senator
johnson, California, declared:
There is only one way to remedy
this sort of outrage upon Amer lean
youth, and that. in the words of dis
tinguished executive, is pitiless pub
licity."
1t was. the most dramatic moment.
in a dramatic day. ~ ssa ts.-
johnson had been inquiring of Sen
ator New, Indiana, concerning details
of the airplane program:
''Is it true, as it is being stated
around this building today. that a
witness before the military committee
testified that without let or hindrance
the Germans fly over American
them with revolvers?" asked Johnson.
1T is replied New.
1t was then that johnson spoke of
pitiless publicity as the remedy.
IT am willing to give my blood in
this war. IS you all are" said johnson,
but we ask for the blood that we give
a fair chance.
1T want to ask the senator from In
diana, who has said he wants to tell
the people the truth. what was the air.
craft program to July 1 this year?''
Only Thirty-Seven Then.
Senator New replied that 1900
combat planes were to have been de-
livered by July 1. 1918, according to
the original program.
How many will we have by that
date?" asked johnson.
''Thirty-seven,'' said New.
Poindexter criticised the attitude of
the administration regarding the jap
nese-Siberian situation.
while we hesitate. Germany acts
he declared. And while we hesitate
Russia may be lost forever"
Senator King, Utah, maintained
that while he was convinced that
Japan was loyal to the allies, that he
did not believe even this. just yet, Jus
titled that country invading Siberia.
when such action becomes neces-
sary," he said, Japan will make her
entry with the full approval of the
allies"
Fate of War.
Washington, March 26.-With the
fate of the war trembling in the bal
ance" Senator Lodge today denounced
as "a crime" the governments RE-
fusal to inform the people of Amer
ica's peril"
"a wasted year" is behind US. he
exclaimed in a passionate speech be-
fore the senate. Our sector of the
front in France is undefended from
the air. There is not a single Ameri-
can combat plane in France-tho
we've spent $s40,00o,000 in the past
year"
This fact is well known, he said. to
the Germans.
Our gallant allies are holding back
the German advance at terrible cost.
In this dark hour it is crime to keep
from the American people facts well
known to the enemy"
Continuing his assault on the air.
plane program. Lodge said:
II think we have sent one plane. II
may be on the way now. The Liberty
motor-the heavy one. may be devel-
oped for bombing planes, but the light
one is not suitable for fighting planes
We've no American guns In
France. When we decided to make
French ISIS we wasted six golden
months trying to improve the recoil-
the best recoil in the world. Sfy
months wasted and not a gun In
France. We've turned out two Aneri-
can ships. True. we have comman-
deered some ships, but we've only bull
two new ones.
1T is to the last degree painful to
say these things. but they are tia
truth. They are there to be dealt
WITHHOLD. hard facts. The truth
tell it to tine American people. They
should no longer be misied about
what we are about to do. Tell them
facts That will arouse the. genuine
grim American spirit
Fight for Existence.
Tell them exactly where we are
today. The world looked to US a year
ago to save the situation: to come tn
tie rescue. We have not.
The only relief l see is an appeal
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