Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-25
CHAMBERLAIN'S GREAT MISTAKE


Senator Chamberains defense is worse than none at
all because it is founded on exaggeration and untruths
No one denies that there have been mistakes, delays
and wasage of money in preparing for war; 1t was the
biggest Job in a military sense any nation ever tackled
in hurry and were not in any military ma
ton The biggest in the nation regardless of Their
politics. were selected by the president to head the var
ious war boards-and of them blundered and had
to be reorganized time and again.
What else might have been expected in the circum-
stances?
Chamberlain exaggerates the effect these bunders and
delays will have He pretends to quote from the eSt
ony of Secretary Baker before his committee and puts
into his mouth the things the senator and his colleagues
tried to make the secretary say and which he seadfasy
refused to say Those who read Bakers testimony will
recall that he showed that this country had made about
much progress preparing for war; In nine months,
as England had in year and a half. Chamberlain and
his fellow inqsitors attempted to show him that his
testimony too reassung to the country to be given
publicity Baker refused to change it because he in
sisted that it would do injury to tell the TRUTH he
fused play Chamberains game and the latter went out
to get his scalp---and lost his
Chamberlain exaggerated camp conditions The
death rate mostly from pneumonia contracted by out
doors exposure is lower than among the civilian popua
ton The men are well fed well clothed and splendidly
taken care of rule They write this to the folks at
home and everyone Of them confirms it when he comes
back on a visit There is nothing to all this harangue
of the senator about conditions in the camps.
Regarding the supply Of arms and munitions, these are
every to the front fully armed IN every re-
spec Heavy artillery being furnished by France and
England they better equipped to turn 1t
out in hurry and it saved transportation space for other
Daay needed purposes.
lhs is a tIutn1ul statement OF conditions Chamber
ains was desperate attempt justify his Incorporate
uterances at banquet OF patriots who spend most OF
their drinking champagne toasS to the flag ana dlc
tatng typewriter onslaughts on the kaiser
Chamberlain would degrade the president OF the
United States by removing him commander in chief
OF the army and navy and place full authority for all
military matters in war council. But is there any
assurance that this council might not prove incompetent
no matter how carefully selected? Most Of the condi
tons the senator complains of arise from the incom-
potency of chickering's of boards. The shipping
board headed in the first by the distinguished General
Goethals was the worst disappointment of all What if
this war council should make similar record if the
plan is adopted?
To sum it all up Senator Chamberlain has finally made
the gravest mistake of his long He has become
kicker an objector and faultfnder instead of CO.
worker with the who trying to transform
peace-ovng nation into effective military machine
with the least possible delay-a job for real men and
earnest patriots his usefulness to the nation is not
entirely gone it most certainly has been greatly impaired
and we are sincerely sorry for it.