Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1918-01-24
WILSON FIGHTS
PROPOSED BILL
Strongly Oenounces Senate Plan
for Formation Of War
Cabinet.
STATEMENT IS ISSUED
Directs Reply at Senator Chamber
lain In Which He Says Reor
aanixa.ion Now Un-
necessary.

Washington, Jan. ga statement
issued by President Wilson has
swept away all douots as to his views
Of proposals in congress for reorgani-
cation of the governments war-mak-
ink machinery. The President said the
war department had accomplished
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 historic strug-
gle. Senator Chamberlain, whose
committee has framed bills to create
q war council all powerful under the
president and to provide one-man con-
:rol OF munitions and supplies, declared
he would continue his fight in spite
OF presidential opposition. It was
rather generally conceded, however,
that the measures would have but lit
tie chance in the senate and proba-
bly, none at all in the house.
Senator Chamberlain made a state
ment In reply to the president, say
Ing 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.
PresIdent's Statement.
The Presidents statement follows:
When the Presidents attention
vas called to the speech made by
Senator Chamberlain at a luncheon in
New York on Saturday he imme diafe.
" inquired Of Senator Chamberlain
whether he had been correctly re-
ported and upon ascertaining from
the senator that he had been, the
President felt 1t his duty to make the
following statement.
Senator Chamberlain's statement
~ to the present inaction and inef.
tectiveness of the government is an
astonishing and absolutely unjustifl.
able distortion Of the truth. As q mat.
Ter OF fact the War department has
performed task Of unparalleled mag.
aitude and difficulty with extraordi.
1ary 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
lelay and confusion which had inev.
tably arisen. But in comparison
with what had been accomplished,
these things. much as they were to
% regretted, were insignificant and
40 mistake has been made which was
repeated.
"Nothins 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
stand that reorganizations by legisla.
ton are to be proposed have not
oeen consulted about them and have
learned Of them only at second hand
but their proposal came after eff.
'ective measures Of reorganization had
been thoughtfully and maturely per-
tected and inasmuch as these meas
ures have been the result of expert.
snce. they are much more likely than
any other to be effective, If the Con.
sress will but remove the few statu.
tory obstacles OF rigid department or.
eanization which stands in taeir way.
The legislative proposals l have
heard OF would involve long addi.
tional delays and turn our experience
into mere lost motion. My association
and constant confidence in the score.
tSry Of war have taught me to re-
gard him as one Of the ablest public
officials l have ever known. The
country will soon learn whether he or
is critics understand the business in
hand.
ITO add as Senator Chamberlain
did. that there Is inefflciency in every
department and bureau Of the gov
eminent Is to show such ignorance of
actual conditions as to make II i'm.
possible to attach any importance to
the administration's whole policy
rather than out Of any serious inten.
Ion to reform its nracfice'"