The Washington herald., 1918-01-22
White House Statement An
swering Criticism One of
Hottest Ever Issued.
FACTIONS FORMING
ON CAPITOL HILL
Bah for New Cabinet Ofkcer and
Munitions Control Crucial
Measures.

| Vi She uottcst Satcmcntf
ever issued from the White House.
President Wilson last night branded
as an unjustihable distortion of
the truth" the speech of Senator
Chamberlain. of Oregon. in New
York Saturday night. ssssiIins the
administrations war policy.
The quoted excerpt from Sen.-
tor Chsmberlain's speech that
caused the deepest resentment in
administration quarters was:
1t (the military policy of the
United States) has almost stopped
funetionins. my friends. whyp
Because of iDefficiency in every
bureau and every department of
the government of the United
States"
The speech was an extempo-
raneous one.
Final Crack ef wkip.
The Presidents statement was the
maj crack Of the whip which he had
oeen brandshing over Congress All
oay IN an e1ort to head OF the Cham
oeriain proposals for a war cabinet
ana the creation Of a munitions sec-
| retary
Into his utterance the President in
9ecteo all the pent-up resentment he
mas felt against the unfriendly at
JACKS OF the Congressional war prob
ers ana The Efforts at the Capitol to
ndnge ihe present methods OF con-
Quoting the war.
His bitter arraignment OF Senator
Chamberlain marks the Inst oDea
break in the relations between the
TWO men. Hitherto the Oregon Sens-
Tor mas been regarded as a stalurart
supporter Of the administration IN
was he who handled the adninistrs-
tons military legislation in the Issf
Congress, including the selective draft
act. VI ~
AdministratIoa Forces Firm.
How deep the cleavage will 20 IN
] f0TCEg in
Congress it is too early 10 Ssy def-
initely. Indications are, however tbst
the administration will be able 10
hold its own In the House, ana prob
ably in the Senate
Administration leaders IN tb. senat.
Yesterday took their cues IN short
order, and quickly the Chamberlain
war cabinet bill, which was intro
ouceo by the Oregon Senator shortly
after i O'Clock, was referred TO COM
mittee.
The members OF the Senate Military
Affairs Committee VIII push the biiI
with all their might, despite the stead
iast administration pressure.
Lewis Quick q. Act.
This pressure was indicated wlsn
Senator Chamberlain introduced me
measure. Immediately Senator
Lewis, Democratic whip. leaped 10
his feet. -
is there a demand for immediat.
consideration? he asked rapidly.
II so, desire to object"
senator Swanson, OF virginia. an
other strong administration leader.
and acting chairman OF the Naval
Affairs Committee. protested visor-
ously that IL reference Of the hin
was made it should be referred back
10 his committee as well az to the
Military Affairs body.
we are satisfied with the nayv
organization" he said. This bIil
it"
During this short Interchange.
Senators Martin, OF Virginia. the
Democratic floor leader: Senator
Simmons, Of North Carolina, an ad-
ministration Democrat. and Others
talked earnestly with Senator Nc
hellar. OF Tennessee. a Democrat
who heartily supported the bill as
a member Of the Military AFFAIR
Committee. In another group were
Senator Chamberlain and Senator
Wadsworth, a Republican, men,
bers Of Military Affairs. and Sen
ator Lodge. Senator Swanson hur-
ried TO the group and talked en-
phatically for several minutes
There was great Democratic activ-
ity on the noor. II was evident the
moor leaders were trying to whip
the Democratic cohorts into line
Finally the bill was laid on the
table without reference.
Dent Backs President
Chairman hubert S. Dent. jr.. Of
the House Military Anairs COM
mittee, declared he stands with
President Wilson on the question
OF reorganizing agencies handling
war problems.
1T is true mistakes have been
made, Chairman Dent said. But
nobody expected that there would
be no mistakes. The mistakes
have been comparatively few. and
CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE.