Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-02-05
Hitchcock RetterateS Charges
That BIunderS Were Made
in Department Which Could
Have Been Avoided,
AMERICA COULD WHIP
GERMANY ALONE IS REPLY
Senator Williams, for Admin
iStration, Denounces Muck
raking Tactics and Urges
Cooperation,
tor @osp' ia ,ouss.l SPECIAL .t.sso as,i :

IsY aoRs' Ia JOURNAL SPECIAL LEAstn IHal
s. Washington, Feb. 4.--Eontroversy
over the governments war efficiency
and the bills for a war cabinet and
munitions director was renewed to-
day in the senate with debate which
occupied virtually the entire day
Senator Hitchcock, democratic
member of the military COMMITTEES,
delivered two-hour prepared
speech in support Of the two bills
which the president opposes sharply
criticising the war department and
charging Secretary Baker with unin.
tentionally misleading the country by
making absolutely preposterous and
exaggerated statements" regarding the
country's ability to get soldiers
abroad.
Senator Williams. OF Mississippi.
and Senator Reed OF Missouri, demo-
Gratis, replied, opposing the war re-
organization measures as proposals to
usurp President Wilson's authority.
The former declared that "the Ger
man game Is undertaking the admin
istration" and asserting that efforts
to enforce the bills are futile because
of certain executive veto, urged ces-
sation of agitation.
Capitalization Imperative.
Conceding that much OF the big
task has been creditably done, the
Nebraska senator insisted that CEN
tralized and co-ordinated war opera
tions through war cabinet and CEN
tralized purchasing through a NUM-
tions director are imperative, He as
serted that the president and Secre-
tary Baker had failed to attain the
object and that the governments
system was obsolete. The committees
legislation, he argued, would not en-
barrass or interfere with the presi-
dents direction of the war.
"Blunders that almost surpass be-
lief" have occurred in the war de-
partment, the senator said, and the
shipbuilding situation he described
as a farce and almost crime He
declared the transportation SYSTEM
has "broken down" and is gigantic
wreck" with two million tons OF
freight piled UP at New Yogk with
cut shipping facilities; that the fuel
administration orders have par
alyzed war and other industry and
that food distribution also has been
inefficient.
Shipping Lack Great.
II am afraid to go too deeply into
shipping figures" he added. for one
might be charged with giving indus
try to the enemy. All who are In
formed as to the present supply of
our shipping were thunderstruck az
the statements of Secretary Baker.
His sanguine predictions as to our
ability to ship men to Europe and
supply them when there, are exag-
gerations of the widest sort
ITO supply million men In
France, supposing we could get them
over there. it will require five million
tons of shipping in constant use. We
all know the tonnage now available
Is nothing like that amount We all
fear 1t will not approximate that q
year from now. The secretary OF war
is so out of touch with shipping au-
thorities that he makes a statement
that is absolutely preposterous.
Secretary Baker says we have
PLANS. I disagree with him. I do not
deny that the departments have
planned as far as they could in adj
vance, but who has prepared the
master plan which will harmonize all
the other plans? Nobody. Nobody
could"
Presidents Responsibility.
Referring to the presidents oppo.
stion to the two committee bills the
senator said 1t was on me ground that
the president alone has responsibility
for conduct of the war, adding:
"The mere statement presents an
absurdity.
THE president belongs to the school
of political philosophers who adhere
to the belief that all important legis-
lation should originate with and be
proposed by the executive.
"Since he became president Mr..
| Wilson has enforced his view upon
congress to large degree and gen.
orally with good results. In the main
have been one of those who have
followed his leadership and supported
his policies and I expect to do SO In
the future. Now and then, however.
an exception must be made. ,s
| This is one of those cases"
"Hearsay," Says williams.
Senator williams of Mississippi. an
administration spokesman. asked
Senator Hitchcock for his authority
for statement that 21,000.00o pairs
of shoes have been ordered. Senator
Hitchcock said ii came from civilian
officials in high position. se
Then it's mere hearssy, after all.''
Senator Williams replied.
The Nebraska senator added he