Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-02-02


that does not exist; 1t has almost
stopped function .ng. Why? Because of
incfficiency in every bureau and in
every department of the Government
oil the United States. l speak not as a
Democrat, but as All American citi-
zen"
l would be very much Obliged #
YOU would tell me whether you were
correctly quoted. | do not like to com
ment upon the statements before learn
.ng from you yourself whether you
actually made them.
Very truly yours,
WOODROW WILSON.
Hon. George t.. Chamberlain,
United States Senator.
MIR PrcsldCnt,' he continued, re-
celfed that letter too late to attempt
to answer ii last Sunday evening,
but the first thing the next morning,
and as soon as my office force came
down, | dictated Il letter to The Presi-
dent, and | ask to have that letter
read into the record"
REPLY TO TIE PRESIDENT.
The Clerk then read tho following
letter:
Jan 81, 1918.
My Dear Mr.. President:
| received last evening your favor
OF the 10th inst, in which you advise
me That | was quoted in The New
York World of same date with your
letter as follows:
'"rhc military establishment of
America has fallen down; there is no
use to be optimistic about a thing
that does not exist; it has almost
stopped funct:oning. Why? Because
OF ineilicicncy in every bureau and in
every department. of the Government
OF the United States. | speak not as
IA Democrat, but as an American citi-
zen"
You desire to know if | am correct
ly quoted, inasmuch as you do not
like to comment upon the statements
made before learning from me wheth-
er l actually made them.
In reply permit me to say that the
words quoted are substantially those
used by me. My address OH the oc.
casion referred to was eXtemporane.
Gus and without notes, but The New
York Times of this morning purports
TO give II verbatim report of all the
addresses made, and l believe the re-
port made is substantially correct. In
that am quoted rs saying, in part:
Now, in conclusion. and l have
only touched few Of the high spots.
let me say that the military estab-
Shment of America has fallen down.
There Is no use to be optimistic about
thing that does not exist 1t has
almost stopped functi Joni ing, my
friends. Why? Because Of incfiiciency
III every department. Of the Govern
mcnt OF the United States We are
trying to work it out. l speak not
rs Democrat, but as an American
citizen"
You will note that there is very
little difference between the two re-
ports and. in view Of the fuller report
OF The Times. | am inclined to be-
lieVe it correctly quotes me
But, Mr.. President. may | beg that
you will do me the honor to read the
whole OF what | said, in order that
the part quoted may have it's proper
setting? l only had twenty minutes
allotted me, and in that brief time
undertook to show that since the ba:-
tie Of Bunker Hill we had never had
proper military organization or
f"iiSy oih lHuI OuI lIouDlcS now are
largely due to that fact. l was only
discussing the military policy, or
lack OF such policy, from the earliest
days OF the Republic. and Immediately
following the language last quoted
said:
1--WE are trying, my friends, and I
have burned the midnight oil In an
effort to do tive have tried to con.
Of lot, 4
army in ono man who can say No
and has the nerve to say NO when
the time comes to say 1t. We have
reported bill, following the expert
encc of Great Britain and France,
creating a Director OF Munitions for
this purpose. We have gone one step
further and We have provided a bill
for the creation Of Cabinet Of War
whose duty it shall be TO lay out what
we never have had-and have not
nova program to carry on this war
to successful conclusion. My
friends, this is not an Administration
measure, it is an America measure
and comes from Republicans and
Democrats both"
All present understood the criticism,
and you will note that eX-Prcsident
Roosevelt in his speech shortly follow
ing mine made substantially the same
, criticism Of conditions during the
Spanish-Amcrican war. although. as
he said, at was waged by an Admin
istration Of which I was a part and
in which | afterward became even
more closely connected"
| have been connected with the
Committee on Military Affairs Of the
Senate ever since I have been a men,
bch' Of the Senate, and have taken a
very deep interest in military 1egisla-
ton, and ! believe I know something
about the deficiencies in the military
establishment. Since Congress con.
vened tho committee has been dill
gently at work endeavoring to find
out actual conditions and to find some
remedy for recognized or proven de-
ficiencies in our military system The
testimony Of witnesses in and out Of
hn ,foI> IL,