The Washington herald., 1918-01-16

Members OF the Military Affairs
Committee of the Senate are pom
dering over what treatment to give
the investigation, after all the hear
ings have been concluded.
The matter will be given con-
siderable attention for it is admit
| ted that at this time there are diff
| fering OPINIONS among the members
and still a different opinion heard
from the vicinity of the executive
mansion.
Discussing the matter after an
executive session the other day,
however, one Senator declared that
the results will be three-fold. no
matter what final action is taken
| by the committee or what its rec
| concentrations may be. AS outlin-
ed by this member these are:
81. The administration will see
| that Congress intends to assume
| more Of the burden of waging the
war than merely contenting itself
to appropriate huge sums of money.
| and then taking no further. account
| of it. Congress intends to know
how that money is being expended.
| Congress doesn't want waste and
| profiigacy to characterize our war
| expenditures.
80. War officials. up and down the
| line from top to bottom, will be
| more on the alert to do things that
will stand scrutiny. Enormous ben
efits in the cutting of red tape has
been reported to the commottee
even from some departments which
| have not been Investigated up to
| this time, but which have caught
| the spirit of modern war-business
dealing. The effect will be good on
| all officers.
'3. The people will be reassured,
| and will know that Congress is
keeping it's eyes open. Many wild
tales heretofore given credence in
the nation will now go unnoticed
| by the people. They will know that
| if there was any truth in them
/ Congress would know it. and give
publicity to it. The fact that Con-
| gress doesn't, means that they are
German propaganda. untrue"
With these three results obtain
| ed the investigation has not been
in vain. In fact. so all members
without regard to party admit. it
has been very much worth while.
| With these three ends achieved our
i country will be in very much bet
ter shape to wage war against
| Germany. Many of the distressing
business laxities which existed pre-
vious to the war. and up to a short
time ago. will be supplanted by
modern business methods. Pep
will take the place of red tape. The
Kaiser will lose materially by rea-
son of the change-and how he
must have grinned when he took
cognizance Of what he knew
about our antique methods, before
the investigation disclosed some of
the most glaring faults to>us all!
One OF the most astounding
things learned by Congress, since
the period of investigation began,
is the fact, now apparent, that the
navy was in much better condition
than the army. and that the navy
in fact was ready for war. No one
believed, previous to the war, that
Josephus Daniels knew anything
about the water fighting forces. But
1t Is generally admitted that some
how or other he got results And
no one can deny that he is entitled
to much credit for 1t. Naturally
~ NhNh hoNC us many pTODlcHlS
as the army had, but he had enough
to require the services of a real
man to pass upon theni-and in the
trial he came out with colors flying
to all winds.
Secretary Baker has a good many
things to his credit and is not to
be blamed for everything that has
been disclosed as weaknesses of his
department. He could have eradi-
Gated them IL he had only known
about them-his chief fault was his
failure to know. 1t was a sin of
omission; not of commission,
though, and the general opinion OF
the Military Committee is that he
can be trusted to carry on the
work of the department from now
on. with more results and better
| results.
But the committee will probably
have something to say to the
American people on the subject
Just what the committee will say
has not been determined. What
| ever it is will be of interest to the
people. though, that much is ap.
parent. Isl -l.
Let none but tried and trusted
Americans vote this year.
The cry is ringing around the