St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-01-26

attacked both his veracity and integ-
rity, heretofore unchallenged, but
| that in replying he did so without
any personal feeling against the
| president.
For twenty-four years. Senator
Chamberlain said, II have served the
public in my state to the best OF my
! ability and in all that time ! have
never had my veracity called in ques-
ton nor my integrity impeached and
| have passed through some bitter
campaigns. 1t is therefore with
some feeling of humiliation and also
sadness that L rise to a question of
personal privilege when my veracity
has been called in question, not by
an ordinary citizen; not by one OF my
colleagues, but 10y very distinguish
ed gentleman who has the love and
admiration OF the people and who by
their suffrage occupies the highest
place in the gift of the people, and,
may say, the highest place Of any
man in the world.
Has No Feeling
Of Unkindness.
1T is therefore with much feeling
hat rise to address myself to the
lttack made upon me, and l do so
without any feeling of nnkindness
These personal charges against
ne amount to nothing to the Ameri-
an people, but affect policies which
nay involve the future OF this cOun-
1 ry. if not the entire world.
Senator Chamberlain said he had
3een invited to speak before the Ma
-ional Security League, accepted or
short notice and without time to
prepare an address. He recalled that
on the dias with him were Alton b.
Parker. Theodore Roosevelt and Jul
us Kahn, and that the audience was
"a representative body that for pa
triotism cannot be excelled by any
like body in the United States
Senator Chamberlain, after hay
ing read to the senate verbatim
copy OF the speech for which the
rpesident denounced him, declared
=. that he had adhered to what he had
= said.s~
, Discussed Only
| Lack of Policy"
Senator Chamberlain letter add
| ed that he was discussing only the
policy cor lack of policy Of the mil
itary establishment. After stating
his experience in the military affairs
andtestimony in the committees in
vestigations, the senator's letter con
tinued: ID.
q believe l know something about
the deficiencies in the military es
1 yr,hi nh rc
clearly recognized and proven, =
: in system that ought te
be remodeled for the proper prosecu
| ton of the war and have
these disjointed and unco-ordaine6
defects Weeded out"
In his letter the senator also Of
= fered to go over the whole situation
/. with the president, but said he re
e ceiyed no reply and on the follow
ing day the presidents Statement
- criticising him was, published.
}, The people of this country ma,
$ not see this as do, but as chairman
g American citizen and member O.
K this distinguished body, felt that
t should say the things that are in ms
g and if ! succeed in making rift il
= the clouds through which the Amefi
can people may see, feel that m,
efforts have not been in vain.
y "Now that my truthfulness hai
'. been questioned" Senator Chamber
Il lain continued, 81 feel it my dut,
: to tell the country something that
n might not have told it under ordi
nary circumstances. Go it as {
man who loves his country best o
d all and who would Willingly give Y:
e his life for it. l do it fearlessly a.
e an American citizen who desires Il
) help and not to hinder"
The Secretary Of War, in a gen
eral statement to the country which
: was carefully and ably prepared
tells us that $3,20O,O0O. hav.
been appropriated for the ordinance
D department and that contracts TO
1,677, 100000 have been awarded,
he continued. This is true, but tn.
secretary failed to tell the cnuntr.
+ that America failed to stanl pre-
y pared.
France, bled white, is furnishin!
/ America today and the troans COIN:
j. abroad, with heavy ordinance. la
l. chine guns and airplanes. II We re
lied on the ordinance department il
). this emergency (and this is a war 0
(. artillery the war would be comp]et
n ed before we ever got enough &c tn
J. front. France agreed TO deliver thi
{ artillery. To win America. Did sh
furnish it in order to invite Am
t erica?"
1t was improper, he sasa, to Civ
details of American purchases Of OR
dinance from the allies, but referee
senators to the confidential testi
nlony before the committee OF Maio
General Crozier, chief Of ordinance
Appropriations for jigs and dies t
make ordinance, he said, had NO
been used.
Il am not blaming anybody in par
t.cular," the senator continued. .
have high regard for Gen CrozEe1
{ But we haven't been able to do wha
{ England. France and all of our othe
s allies have done, and that is to retir
these gentlemen who have not PROV
ed themselves up to the wark. w
T ought not to dismiss them in dis
grace, but in other countries the
Y have gone into innocuous desuetude
d This isn't question OF perosnali
e ties. This is not question betweel