The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-01-24
WILSON'S IRE
IS AROUSED
President Rsse0ts declaration
In Chamberlain Speech
"DIS. O0TIOR or THE TRUTH
Says Task Of Unparalleled Magnitude
and Difficulty Has 5een Efficiently
Performed BY War Department
Nothing Helpful in criticisms-5a'
ker Among Ablest OF Public officials

Washington. Jan. - President
( Wilson came out last night IN for
NAL statement den0uncng senator
( Chamberlain OF oregon. The Demo-
cratic chairman Of the committee on
military affairs. for his declaration
in a speech ia New York that the
military establishment Of America has
broken down, because there was
| "inetiiclency In every bureau.
The presidents denunciation Great
ed sensation, as he and Chamberlain
had been on the best OF terms p0Iltl-
cally and personally. Chamberlain
had supported nll the presidents war
policies and had engineered through
the senate legislation to carry some
Of the most important OF them into eff
feet.
When the presidents attention was
called to the speech by Chamberlain
he Immediately inquired CT Chamber
lain whether he had been correctly
reported and upon ascertalning from
the senator that he had been, the
president made the following state
mcnt
Senator Chamberl8in's statement as
to the present inactiOn and Ineffective
ness of the government is an aston
ishlng and absolutely unjustifiabe dis
tortion Of the truth. AS matter OF
fact the war department has per-
formed task Of unparalleled magni-
tude and difficulty with extraordinary
promptness and efficiency.
"There have been delays and dis
appointments and partial miscarriages |
Of plan, all which have been drawn |
into the foreground and exaggerated |
by the Investigations which have been |
in progress since the congress as
sembled- Investigations which drew |
indispensable officials Of the depart |
ment constantly away from their work
and officers from their commands, and |
contributed q great deal to such de-
lay and confusion as had inevitably |
arisen But by comparison with what
has been accomplished, these things.
much as they were to be regretted,
were insignificant, and no mistake has
been made which has been repeated
Nothing helpful or likely to speed
or facilitate the war tasks Of the gov
eminent has come out Of such criti-
Cisms and Investigations. | understand
that congratulations by legislation are
TO be proposed have not been con
suited about them and have learned Of
them only at second hand--but their
proposal came after effective meas
ures Of reorganization had been
thoughtfully and maturely perfected,
and lnasmuch as these measures have
been the result Of experience they are
much more likely than any other to be
effective. If the congress will but re-
move the few statutory obstacles Of
rigid departmental organization which
stand In their way.
'"The legislative proposals | have
heard Of would involve long additional
delays and turn our experience into
mere lost motion. My association
and constant conferences with the
secretary of war have taught me to
regard him as one of the ablest pub
lie officials I have ever known. The
country will soon learn whether he
or his critics understand the business
In hand.
"To add, as Senator Chamberlain
did. that there Is inefiiciency In every
department and bureau of the govern
meni Is to show such ignorance OF ac-
tual conditions as to make II impOs-
sible to attach any importance to his
statement. ! am bound to Infer that
that statement sprang out Of opposi-
ton to the administration whole poll
icy rather than out OF any serious in
tention TO reform It's practice