The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-02-19
CHARGES PRESIDENT IS 1Fl[gTAG
POLITICS Into WARS AFFAIRS
Senator Weeks Of Massachusetts,
Springs Sensation of Session
From, Flbor Of Senate In
eoiifse Of Debate 81
SPEAKS IN FAVOR or y
|. PROPOSED WAR COUNCIL


Things To Criticise In Wars
Conduct and Says Measure Is
Designed To Assist
EWIASHrNGToN, February
W. l6--( associated Press)
Charges assailfng the integrity
and honesty Of purpose Of Presi-
dent Wilson in the conductl Of
the war, assertions that the Chief
Executive was injecting politics
into the war policies Of the Uni
ted States were made from the
senate floor yesterday BY Senator
wv. Weeks of Massachusetts,
once chairman OF the Republican
National Committee and caused
the greatest sensation Of the pres
ent session of congress. ~.
, Weeks spoke in support Of the
biH which was fatheredI by the
senate committee on military af-
fairs during the course of and as
a result Of its Investigations into
the conduct of the war and it
was in the course of theadebate
upon this measure that he. as
sailed the President with the
charge Of playing politics. :, s.,l3..
/ ~. AIMED AS AID ,..,.
Weeks asserted. the measure
represented a constructive land
non-partisan war policy and was
designed to help and not toahamr
per the administration, g. >, ,yrf>,>-
!" While deploring the course
pursued by the President in seek
ling to inject politics, into the con-
troversy he said he found much
to praise in the conduct OF the waF
and also some things to criticise,
Many Of the achievements Of the
army he found worthy of high.
praise but he, said, the SECRETARY
sof war was inclined to prosecute
the war ON the basis that it was.
three Thousand miles away,
quoting the words Baker used
, before the committee = 50
The success made in the sup
plying of foods he attributed. to
I Quartermaster. General Sharpe.
He ! took occasion to bestow
: praise upon General Crozier, as
head OF the ordnance department
for much that had been accom-,
pliShed but said he was open to
criticism for the shortage Of ma
chine gunS."'t. '4,& FaA5.-a .
Wilson Opposes ~ q ''%
! This bill, towards which, the Presi.
posed, on the reported grounds that II
will embarrhss hiE personal direction of
war activities, is to establish a war
eabisct of three men to assist the
President in. cont trolling general diree,
ton of the war and to create a direct
or of munitions, Independent Of the
! war department. The measure was in
troduced into the senate by Senator
Chamberlain, chairman df the senate
committee on military affairs. p, ~
Provision Of Bill w. -.
! The bill provides that the three plem-
! bers Iof the war cabinet must be men
distinguished in business, executive al;
nIinistratIon and public hffairs, and mot
MEMBERS of the President s. cabinet. 1t
peeitically states that the secretaries
| war and navy shall not be ex -offieiO
lembers, The war cabinet members
Guild receive salaries of $4,000 year,
re same as those of the Presidents
1Iiuet, but would rank above the .eN'
'utiNe cabinet in power for control Of
! var policies. The measure also would
/ appropriate 100000 TO- start the eabE
1T 10. its work. o.. 49,, -. 49,
When the hin was, introduced, meg,
,ers of the senate military committee
Explained that the word 'cabinet' =
.ad been substituted for the p, word
Council -, originally used in .sopnee:
ion with the board, in order to "get
lway from the idea Of councils, of
,uroly advisory bodies which have not
worked well in the past ,4s..
1t was also explained that the bill,
loes. not preclude appointment to the
var cabinet Of members Of the pres
MT cabinet, but that one man could
not serve IN both capacities. :.
The committee decision not 10 have
he secretaries Of war aud navy ex.
ptfisio members Of the war cabinet WIS
also explain ed as In line with the de-
sire TO eeHtralize war policies ia a
smaller bodyS However,, some COM
mittee members believe 10 possible that
congress might Gmends the bill to per
nit the secretaries, Of war and navy
to lie members, parti"uIarly if the ad-
ministratiOn desired it.
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