The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-01-24
WILSON FIGHTS
PROPOSED BILL
Strongly Denounces Senate Plan
for Formation of War
Cabinet.
STATEMENT IS ISSUED
Directs Reply at Senator Chamber.
lain In Which He Says Reor-
s%anizatlon Now Un-
necessary.

Washington, Jan. ga statement
issued by President Wilson has
swept away all doubts as to his views
OF proposals In congress for r%eorgani-
zation of the governments war.mak-
nix machinery. The President said the
war department had accomplished a
task of unparalleled magnitude and
difficulty with extraordinary prompt
ness and efficiency. He denounced
the congressional war Investigations
and declared reorganization by leg
islation was proposed after effective
measures of reorganization had been
perfected
On the statement most observers
at the capitol saw the collapse OF
what promised to be a historic strug-
Gle. Senator Chamberlain, whose
committee has framed bills to create
a war council all powerful under the
president and to provide one-man con
trol of munitions and supplies, declared
he would continue his fight in spite
of presidential opposition. 1t was
rather generally conceded, however,
that the measures would have but lit
lie chance.
Senator Chamberlain made a state
ment in reply to tle president, say.
ins he spoke extemporaneously in
New York and that his criticisms
we're directed at the war department
only and not at other branches of the
government.
Presidents Statement.
when the Presidents attention
vas called to the speech made by
Senator Chamberlain at a luncheon in
New York on Saturday he immediate
y inquired of Senator Chamberlain
whether he had been correctly re-
ported and upon ascertaining from
he senator that he had been, the
President felt 1t his duty to make the
following statement.
Senator Chamberlain's statement
rs to the present inaction and inef-
'~ectiveness of the government is an
astonishing and absolutely unjustif-
able distortion of the truth. AS a mat
'er OF fact the War department has
performed a task of unparalleled mag
litude and difficulty with ~extraordi-
nary promptness and efficiency.
There have been delays and dis.
appointments and partial miscar-
'iages OF plans, all of which have
been drawn into the foreground and
exaggerated by the investigations
which have been in progress since the
Congress assembled - Investigations
which drew indispensable officials of
he departments away from their
work and officers from their COM
hands and contributed greatly to the
ielay and confusion which had inev-
tably arisen. But in comparison
With what had been accomplished.
hese things, much as they were to
le regretted, were Insignificant and
10 mistake has been made which was
'epeated.
Nothing Helpful Developed"
Nothing helpful or likely to
speed or facilitate the war tasks of
he government has come out Of such
criticism and Investigation. l under
tand that reorganizations by legisla-
ion are to be proposed-I have not
,een consulted about them and have
earned Of them only at second hand
but their proposal came after eff
ective measures OF reorganization had
,een thoughtfully and maturely per-
ected and inasnuch as these meas
Tres have been the result of expert
,nce, they are much more likely than
my other to be effective, If the Con-
,ress will but remove the few statu-
DRY obstacles of rigid department or
sanitation which stands in their way.
1.-The legislative proposals | have
heard Of would involve long addi-
ional delays and turn our experience
nto mere lost motion. My association
md constant confidence in the secre-
airy OF war have taught me to re-
yard him a one of the ablest public
officials l have ever known. The
country will soon learn whether he or
his critics understand the business in
hand.
ITO add as Senator Chamberlain
lid, that there is in~eficiency in every
department and bureau Of the gov
srnment is to show such ignorance OF
actual conditions as to make it i'm
possible to attach any importance to
ais statement. / am bound to infer
hat that statement sprang out OF
opposition to the administrations
whole policy rather than out Of any
serious intention to reform its prac
ice"