The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-25

l tiser from E. P. Diclsert, Corners cousin. Conner at the time was a candidate for president of the railroad commission and
 he contended that the affidavit injured 1 his reputation It has been in the su- p1eme court and in the lower court for | rulings on various points throughout the past IA years.
 | Since the suit was entered Conner has | been president of the railroad commits
 sion and governors of Alabama.
 whole purpose to see that America is | saved.
 | MACHINE QUESTION Take the machine gum said Senator l Chamberlain "lt's an old controversy | and much might be said on both sides. 1 The Lewis gun has been manufactured | here for the British army, and there are 1 10000 of them on the battlefronts. Every 1 British officer I have seen has expressed l approval of that gun. America was pre- 1 pared to produce them, while it's own 1 country was standing on a seething vol- 1 cano. The ordnance bureau was trying l all the while to decide on substantial l gun. The war department didn't even | adopt a gun until May, and finally ! adopted it in June Q91D believe, and | then only on paper, and 1t still is a gun | on paper. It never has had field test. Maybe the Browning gun is good wea- l pon, but the Lewis gun is doing good l work. Why not manufacture the Lewis ! guns?''
 The Secretary of War testified he re- | called that in Septemoer the United | States had nine Browning guns with 1 which to go out against the millions of l Germany"
 He denounced the cry that investiga l ton gives information to the enemy. GERMANS, KNOW MORE ir "Germany knows more about America l today than the men connected with the l departments" Senator Chamberlain de | clared. "If the government would be | frank with the people, then we could rely upon the people to rally to the up
 building of the Presidents plan and the | sustaining of the war" he added. 1 Great Britain. he said, did not waste 1 time manufacturing guns. The United l States could have adopted the same kind l of rifle as used by England as plants
 in this country were equipped for man. ufacturing them, he contended.
 I After the engineers of various gun l making plants had been consulted, ht | said, a gun was finally agred upon for the American army, but the ordnance | bureau through very distinguished of l ficer," ordered that the number of parta l be increased, which added to the delay WEST IS SATISFIED
 Why shouldn't America know these
 things?' the senator e~inanded. Some people in the west" he said, 'beleve America has all it needs"
 | Eff they only knew the actual con- | ditions," he continued, "theyd risk their lfves-their alto protect America. Cas- ua. reading of the Secretary of Wars
 statement gives the impression that we had everything. But when we get the z eli nf ha mo, uy1,n ar hA
 grcund,T different information is ob- I taiDed z A | Senator Chamberlain declared that from Secretary Bakers general state ment the country would believe every
 thing was lovely, and the goose hung high" So far as clothing is considered. But when you'd talk to the men that
 command these boys, you'd find it isn't tEere." he continued. 1T realize the diff | fculties of the quartermaster general. He has done the best he could under the J present system The President inherited that system, and has done the best he could. The President is not responsible for the system. But the fact remains that we haven't the clothing"
 Senator Chamberlain said he proposed to show by Secretary Bakers own testi- mony that the Secretary did not know I of actual clothing conditions.
 l PRESIDENT MISINFORMED That's why I say" he continued,
 that the President didn't know the truth. And I did. He must have gotten
 his facts from the Secretary, who in turn
 got them from somebody else and some-
 body must have uad. And that's why I say the President has not been given the
 truth"
 Strding out into the center aisle with
 ar attitude of defiance, he shouted: 1 'I felt it my duty to my country and
 my conscience to tell the truth, l have
 no fear 0T God. man nor the devil when my col snce prompts And no man in
 the country can keep me from telling
 the truth. The only fear I have is that
 this discussion may have bad effect J or the country. But if the conditions
 exist. they ought to be corrected and
 quickly. Great Britain found the same
 conditions and corrected them quickly So
 did France"
 Placingin the Record a chart submitted
 by Secretary Baker, showing shortages
 of material at all camps, varying from to 90 per cent, MT. Chamberlain de-
 clared he wished that condition to be-
 come known to the people.
 II want it shown whether I distorted
 the truth when said the military sys-
 tem had broken down." he said.
 Reading from the table to show short
 ages of OvercoatS running as high as
 5 per cent, the senator reminded the
 Senate the troops were fin the midst of
 winter"
 THOUSANDS ARE DYING
 T am going to show that these hun
 dreds and thousands of men dying in the icantonments are due to the war depart ment," he declared. This information comes right from the men who are on
 the ground They know what they are talking about.
 statement of Surgeon General Gorgas, that nearly all epidemics could have been
 prevented if the war department had
 beer effective" General Gorgas' report. he continued showed overcrowding < in virtually every camp.
 Senator Chamberlain said if General Gorgas' recommendations for greater space for each man had been observed disease. at least would have been re- duced. xSA The senator read q letter showing that camp authorities failed.to notify a family of the death of a. soldier and that the body came home wrapped only in a sheet
 If I were to print all the letters | get along this line," he continued they would shock not only Congress but the betrayed American conscience Senate and galleries were moved to expressions of emotion as Senator <Sf | Ca~ k<<