The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-01-31

lain replied to the Presidents criti-
cism by saying that the President
simply did not know the real condi-
tions in the organization of the Army
and that he, on the other hand, as
chairman of the Senate committee on
Military Affairs, did know the real
conditions.
Further, he declared that the high
officials of the government and of the
War Department who took it upon
themselves to give the President the
information regarding the Army that
the President had, either themselves
did not know the true conditions of
the Army, or, knowing them, they
lied to the President During his
speech, Senator Chamberlain reassert-
ed the facts expressed in his New
York adrdess and fortified his position
and his statements by reading letters
from Army camps and by presenting
data in regard to the conditions and
deficiencies in the Army secured at
public and at executive hearings held
recently by the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs. The speech of SEN
ator Chamberlain was both forceful
and eloquent. 1t was at times filled
with startling recitals and deep pa
thos which drew tears from his col
leagues in the Senate and from those
in the densely crowded Senate CALLER
les. The speech made a profound and
lasting impression on all those who
heard it. Immediately on the close of
Senator Chamberlain's speech, Senat-
or Kirby of Arkansas attempted a
somewhat lengthy reply to Senator
Chamberlain's charges. The reply was
neither eloquent nor convincing. Most
Of those in the Senate and in the
packed Senate galleries who had lis
tened to Senator Chamberlain's speech
with closest and keenest attention,
had left before Senator Kirby con-
Quoted his reply. The clash between
the President and Senator Chamber
lain is generally deplored here in
Washington. While the facts in re-
gard to the organization and equip
ment of the Army have been such that
the disclosures, made so public by
Senator Chamberlain's speeches, have
not been altogether unexpected or sur
prising, it was hoped that the gross
mismanagement and inefficiency
which has gripped administrative af-
fairs of the War Department since it
was certain to every sane and
thoughtful citizen that our nation
would, in all probability, become ac-
lively engaged in the world war be-
fore it's termination, would be quietly
and summarily done away with, and
that the places of inactive and in
competent men in the administration
Of the war work of the government
would be filled with the most able,
most experienced and most successful
men available to the nation.
Some Of the deficiencies called at
tention to by Senator Chamberlain
still exist. Many of them, however,
have been remedied during the past
month The condition of the Army
and of our war preparations are i'm
proving every day. Serious admins
trative and executive mistakes have
been made. The business Of every
man interested in the success Of real
world wide Democracy in this war
should be now and in the future to see
CiltlC CllCSC lHioCdhCS <lIS llOC lCpCc]CCu.
A tremendous amount of remarkable
and most commendable work has been
done in the mobilizing and equipping
of our present Army of million and
a half men. Greater work, however,
needs yet to be done before lasting
peace can come to the civilized world.
The work will require and should have
the fullest cooperation and fullest en-
couragement of every loyal citizen of
the Republic. The final results of the
criticism made by Senator Chamber
lain and the controversy between the
President and the Senator are likely
to be beneficial rather than harmful
to the Army organization and to ou1
ultimate success in the war. The clash
between the President and Senator
Chamberlain will center the attention
of the country on the real work we
have to do in the world war and or
the supreme Importance in war work
of getting things done on time.