Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-02-05

without legal authority, like all the
other voluntary agencies and that a
legally constituted munitions director
is needed.
Senator Hitchcock said Great Brit
ain and France both have been forced
to remedy government weakness by
a system similar to the war cabinet,
and suggested that the president I'M
der the bill, would appoint and direct
the war cabinet and if he pleases,
could appoint Secretaries McAdoo,
Baker and Daniels as the members.
CITES DEPARTMENTS DELAYS.
The war departments obsolete
methods, the senator said, have
brought the expected results, "confu-
sion of authority, red tape, circumlo-
cution and incapacity," and he cited
evidence given in the military commit
tees inquiry of clothing, rifle and
equipment shortages and sickness
ana deaths in camps as the result Of
overcrowding and lack of clothing.
eve found we must depend on over
worked and overstrained France for
AidSllluS SuuS III Sioul1u uoO uASAA
nearly the end of this year." he said.
adding that the first American-made
heavy artillery will not be received
until July and mot much before 1919
can we expect to use in France,
! American heavy artillery in any great
, quantity"
1--WE found" he continued, that
only now we are just beginning work
on two great powder plants to cost
s6O,000,000 and can not get powder
from these plants before August. We
found that though the medical depart
ment asked for hospital ships last
July, they have not yet been ordered.
TASK is HUGE ONE.
Il do not deny that we also found
much that was creditable and salts
factory. The task undertaken was
huge one and much of the work has
been ably done. Some war depart
ment officials most severely criticised
have worked desperately hard. This
comment covers the secretary him
self This leads me to hold defec-
tive organization responsible for the
shortcomings, to a greater degree than
any individual or group OF indtvld-
uals."
Two courses we're open to the COM
mittee as result Of the investigation.
said Senator Hitchcock, to report
conditions, making few scapegoats
and ignoring the greatest evil of de-
fective machinery" or recommending
Legislation to give the president an up
to-date war making organization
REToRT FOR KIRBY.
Senators on both sides gave Sena-
tor Hitchcock close attention Sena-
tor Kirby. democrat of Arkansas.
asked of the military committee had
made any formal findings Of whether
the speech represented the Nebraska
senator's individual views.
Senator Hitchcock said the decision
to report the two bills was by men,
bers who had attended all of the COM
mittees meetings. Senator Kirby
did net attend the investigation until
early in January He was the first to
defend Secretary Baker after Senator
Chamberlain's speech of last week.
PRO-GERMAN, WILLIAMS SAYS.
In fiery fashion Senator Williams
replied to Senator Hitchcock as soon
as the Nebraskan had finished. He de-
clared the Nebraska senator had made
"a very strong indictment" against the
executive departments of the govern
ment.
Senator Williams referred to agita-
ton before the war of legislation to
prohibit shipment of munitions to the
allies.
"That was almost as foolish" he said,
"as the war cabinet proposal. That
legislation to keep the allies from hay
ing American munitions was the Ger
man game then The German game
now is undertaking this administra-
ton"
DEPLoRES UNDERTAKING"
The constitutional congress, he AIDED,
came very near running General
Washington, land all the asses that
ever existed, came very near running
Lincoln and Grant in the civil war;"
he declared.
1.-THE senator says the president and
secretary of war don't know the facts,
can't find out In Gods name, how is
it possible for him to know? He is not |
superior in native ability or brains,'
Senator Williams shouted. |
Here are 100,000,000 people ready !,
to fight Germany by themselves and |
they can whip her by themselves"
shouted Senator Williams. 1--WE feel ;;
our mettle, we still have the spirit and
we have the boys. What's the use of |
the administration?
REED REBUkES COLLEAGUE.
whats the use Of it? What's the
sense of it? Aren't we all doing our
level best to win this war? Isn't every
republican trying to help win the war
except few pacifists who have nearly
ended their political lives?'
81 do not think we can gain much by
challenging the motives of the senat
ors who proposed this legislation, or
those opposed to it, said Senator
Reed of Missouri, democrat, following
Senator Williams.
1T is getting to be too much the
habit Of men to clinch their argument
or lack of argument by inferring their /
opponents are friends of the kaiser"
COLD MONDAY