Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-01-24
WILSON ATTACKS
u 5. WAR CRITICS
Chamberlain Scored as Leader of
Fight on Baker.
GIVES LIE TO SENATOR
Statements Branded as Absolutely Un-
justifiabIe Distortions of the Truth
-ChamberIain Denies Attack
on Government.


Wilson issued a statement characterize
ing as an astonishing and unjustifia-
BILE distortion Of the truth assertions
of Senator Chamberlain in a New York
speech Saturday concerning inefficiency
of war preparations.
Wilson Issues Statement.
The following statement was issued
from the White House:
When the presidents attention was
called to the speech made by Senator
Chamberlain at luncheon in New
York on Saturday, he Immediately in
CURED of Senator Chamberlain wheth-
er he had seen correctly reported, and
upon ascertaining from the senator
that he had been, the president felt
it his duty to make the following state
ment:
Senator Chamberlain's statement
as to the present inactiOn and effective
ness of the government is an astOnish-
ing and absolutely unjustifiable distor-
ton of the truth
GAS a matter of fact, the war depart
ment has performed a task of unparal-
leled magnitude and difficulty with eX-
traordinary promptness and efficiency.
There has been delay and disappoint-
ment and partial miscarriage of plans,
all of which have been drawn into the
foreground and exaggerated by the in
vestigatiOns which have ben progress
sing since congress ssembled-inveS
legations which drew indispensable Of
ficials of the department constantly
away from their work and officers from
their commands and contributed a
great deal to such delay and confusion
as had inevitably arisen.
Investigations Not Helpful
"But by comparison with what has
been accomplished, these things, much
as they were to be regretted were in
significant and no mistake has been
made which has been repeated. Moth
ing helpful or likely to speed or facili-
tate the war tasks of the government
has come out of such criticism and in
vestigation.
II understand that congratulations
by legislation are to be proposed-I
have not been consulted about them
and have learned of them only at sec
ond hand-but their proposal came
after effective measures of reOrganiza-
ton had been thoughtfully and mature
ly perfected and inasmuch as these
measures have been the result of ex-
perience, they are much more likely
than any others to be effective, if the
congress will but remove the few
statutory obstacles of rigid depart
mental organization which stand in
their way.
Will Soon Prove His Value.
"The legislative proposals I have
heard of would involve long additional
delays and turn our experience into
mere lost motion.
"NIy association and constant con-
ference with the secretary of war have
taught me to regard him as one of the
ablest public officials I have ever
known. The country will soon learn
whether he or his critics understand
the business in hand.
"To add, as Senator Chamberlain
did, that there is inefficiency in every
department and bureau of the govern
ment is to show such ignorance of &C
tual conditions as to make it impOssi-
bic to attach any Importance to his
statement.
81 am bound to infer that the state
ment sprang out Of opposition to the
administrations whole policy rather
than out of any serious intention to
reform it's practice"
Chamberlain Replies.
Replying to the president, Senator
Chamberlain said:
"My argument was directed to the
military establishment and not to the
general government. Those who heard
me know that.
ST had no prepared speech. l deliv.
cred an eXtempOraneOus address to the
people there, explaining that since
Bunker Hill we had practically no
military organization or policy. I dis
cussed the subject from that viewpoint
for 20 minutes.
81 said the senate military commit
tee had tried to correct the evils by the
introduction of the two new bills. One
written by me is the director Of NUM-
tons bill. The other, written by sub
committee, is the war board bill. will
stand by both.
"Mr. Bakers efforts to better his Or
ganization within the military estab-
lishment itself have been commend
able. He has tried to do something.
Some improvements have been made
In the system in vogue.
"But in his plan the inherent weak
ness in the last analysis is that there
is no one between the president and
the army able to act. The new sys-
tenn of Mr.. Baker comprises the clear
ance board of the war industries board
and the various purchasing depart
ments. There is the inherent weak
ness. They cannot act"
Honors Roumanian Queen.