The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-02-07
SAYS BAKER s
zoo T|N||ST|C
Senator Hitchcock Declares
Secretary oil War Exagger-
ated Concerning Ameri-
cas- Part in War.
SUBMITS NO NEW FACTS
Nebraskan Flatly Denies State
ments Without Furnishing
Proof on Which He Bases q
Contentious,
SUBMITS NO NEW FACTS


military committee that the United
States would have 100000 soldiers in
france early this year and that pros
poets We're not unpromising for ships
to carry 100000 more who would be
ready during the year, were character
lied by Senator Hitchcock in an adj
dress to the Senate as absolutely pre-
posterous and $50 = SO exaggerated
as TO convey an entirely false impress
sion as to what we can do and what
we are doing"
Supporting the committees bills for
a war cabinet and munitions director
Senator Hitchcock declared that Secre-
tary Baker was no doubt sincere, but
was nlisled by lack of Information re-
garding scarcity of ships in making
such sanguinary predictions. He said
President Wilson, himself, does not
know the real situation and cited the
situation as an illustration of the
absence of government co ordination.
Will Answer Hitchcock.
Administration leaders prepared to
reply to Senator Hitchcock, whose
speech launched the debate which has
been impending since Secretary Baker
made his statement and the president
made known his OPPOSITION to the mill
tary committees plans for reorganizing
the governments war machinery.
Conceding that much of a big task
has been creditably done, the Nebraska
senator insisted that centralized and
co-ordinated war operations through a
War cabinet and centralized purchas-
ing through q munitions director are
imperative. He asserted that the presi-
dent and Secretary Baker had tried
but failed to attain the object and that
the governments system was obsolete.
The committees legislation he argued
would not embarrass or Interfere with
the presidents direction OF the war.
Sharp criticism of many government
war activities was made by the senator
in Illustrating his arguments, but with
ont attacking individuals "Blunders
thai almost surpasS belief have oc-
Cured in the war department, he said
and the ship building situation he de-
scrihed as farce and almost Il crime.
Denies Baker Has War Plan.
He declared the transportation sys-
TEN has broken down and is a 'gigan-
tic wreck" with 100000 tons Of
freight piled up at New York without
shipping facilities; that the fuel adj
ministration's orders have praralyzed
war and other industry and that food
distribution also has been inefficient.
In fatty denying Secretary Bakers
statement that the government has a
plan for the war, the senator said the
military committee was thunder struck
by the war secretary's optimistic as
sertions.
II am afraid to go too deeply in ship
ping figures he added, FOR one might
the enemy. All who are informed as
to the present supply of our shippings
We're thunder struck at the statements
of Secretary Baker. His sanguine pre-
dictions as to our ability to ship men,
to Europe and supply them when there
are eXaggerations OF the widest sort
ITO supply 100000 men in France
surprising we could get them over there,
it will require 100000 tons Of shipping
in constant use. We all know the total
Ion moi liz
that amount. We all fear it will not
approximate that a year from now.
Denies Shipping Capacity.
Yet, the secretary of war is so out
of touch with the shir-ing board and
shipping authorities that he makes a
statement that is absolutely preposter-
Gus. I have no doubt of his sincerity
but this act indicates again the extent
to which one department is out of touch
with another department.
Turning to Secretary Bakers war
plan, Senator Hitchcock said:
Secretary Baker says we have plans.
am sorry to disagree with him. If
there is one thing more conspicuous by
its absence than any other in the opera
ton OF the various departments and
bureaus in Washington, . it has
been planning for the future. do not
deny that the various departments have
planned as far as they could in advance,
but who has prepared the master plan
which will harmonic all the other
plans? Nobody. Nobody could"
Referring to the presidents opposi-
ton to the two committee bills, the sem
ator said it was on the ground that the
president alone has responsibility for
conduct Of the war. adding:
THE mere statement presents an alb
surdity."
Asserting that congress has a large
measure of responsibility, Senator
Hitchcock said it would be ''monstrous"
to hold the president responsible for
the 100000 tons of freight piled up in
New York, for the breakdown of
transportation, 50 the muddle and
comings of the ordnance department
and quartermasters department, suf-
ferings of the unnecessarily sick SOL
diers and nine months delay i'll con-
struction of the government powder
factory"
His Sympathy for Wilson.
The senator summarized the enor-
nous burdens on the president includ-
ing his formulating 1; forei,.l policy. de-
signing all the legislation for congress
to pass, debating the industrial and
political activities of the country, and
looking after expenditures of $3.50. &C.,
900 a week.
The president does not want the
:ommitte to report the cabinet bill.
and" he continued, IF press reports be
true, he objects even TO discussion of
this legislation IN the Senate. This at
titude on the part of tie president is
unfortunate but not altogether rnnat-
ural.
In the first place the president be-
longs To the school of political phil
osophers who adhere to the belief that
all important legislation should origin
ate and be proposed by the executive.
l cannot subscribe to this scheme OF
government although it has some, OBJ
vious advantages in that it provides
leadership, order and program.
"Since he became president, Mr.. Will
son has enforced his view upon con-
gress to large degree, and generally
with good results. In the main. / have
been one of those who have followed his