Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-02-02
/. SEN. Chamberlain
ANSWER TO PRESIDENT
Continued from Eighth Page.


gon Senator. 81 think 1t Is susccpti-
bic of that construction"
IL will say" said Mr.. James, that
on hct.. ing yesterday that ne was
constituting the letter Of the Presi-
dent which referred mercy to the
proposed Mum. .ons Ministry bill. as
a reference to the superior War
Cabinet and therefore that he in
tended to urge that position as rath
er questioning the Presidents state
mont, l called up the White House
and told the President Of my infor-
nation. He sent me letter which |
am sure the Senator will not have
tho slightest objection to bo.ng read
by the Secretary"
Mr.. Chamberlain said he would be
glad to- have 1t go into the record. It
follows:
"The White House,
Wash 'ngton, Jan. 80, 1918.
My Dear Senator: You have been
kind enough to tell me that you had
heard that l had written letter to
the Chairman Of the Senate Military
AHairs Committee, concerning the
idea Of a Munitions Minister and YOU
asked me whether I did write such
letter. | did, and am glad to send
The consultation referred to with
Senator Chamberlain, to whom tho
letter is addressed, was upon tho sub
1cct OF the various difficulties and
delays that had been encountered by
the war Department, as shown by the
testimony before the Senate Commit
tee, and the Senator merely mem
toned to me that he had a bill In
mind to create n munitions ministry
He gave me no detail of the bill he
had In mind and 1t was only when
l learned aftcrward from others of
the real character of the proposals
that l felt it my duty to write to the
Senator and appraisc him of my at
titude.
Il assume from what I heard later
mat that particular proposal had been
abandoned and that referring lin my
statement of tho other day to the
very surprising proposal to create n
superior war cabinet Of type I'M
known to our practice or institutions.
give you these details merely to
reply to your kind inquiry and let
you know all the facts Of the case
as you DESIRE
Cordially and sincerely yours.
WOODROW WILSON.
Hon. Ollie NJ. James, United States
Senate.
Il am very glad, indeed, to have
that go into the Record" said Mr..
Chamberlain. THE letter practical
~ states the facts. The letter to mo
states them just as clearly, because
it mentions the same proposal for
the creation OF Director OF NUM-
tons"
but it Is true, | believe the SEN
i'm Col
dent would like to say, that the
Presidents statement that he was
not consulted about the Superior
War Cabinet bill was true. He was
not consulted about that, was hep
said Senator James.
'Well,' said Senator Chamberlain,
that Is subject to some qualflca-
tons. Without questioning the
statement OF tho President, let me
tell you what happened. The Mill
tary Affairs Committee on Friday.
appointed the Senator from Nebraska
(NIr. Hitchcock) as n committee Of
one to go down and confer with the
Secretary OF War, which he did.
Whether the President was Informed
about it or not, do not know"
Mr.. James--ls it quite fair, does
the Senator think, to charge the
President with having information
that was given by n Senator to
member Of his Cabinet? Probably
the Cabinet had not mot and the
matter had never been discussed.
Mr.. Chamberlain did not intend
to be understood as questioning the
veracity of the President in any way.
l am only stating what did happen
Mr.. james, feel sure the Sena-
tor did not; but l believe that, upon
second thought, the Senator will
realize when he reads the letter the
President directed to him, together
with the letter directed to me, they
mako 1t perfectly clear that the Pres
1dent is absolutely right in his state
ment that he was not consulted.
Mr.. Williams--Mr. President, will
the Senator yield to me for a mo-
ment?
Mr.. Chamberlain really should
like to go on.
Mr.. Williams-The President said
that he had information about the
War Cabinet bill, but that he got it
second hand.
Let us not be misunderstood about
it, said Mr.. Chamberlain Here Is
the Presidents language: Il under
stand that reorganizations by legisla-
ton are to be proposed. | have not
been consulted about them and have
learned OF them only at second hand
II do not know whether that Is ~,
broad enough to include the NUM-
tions bill or not; but that Is the Ian
guage used. I am just stating my
version OF 1T. 1t goes to the country
Just the same that I was trying to
put over something on the Presi-
dent without having let him know
anything about It; that is all. do
not want that impression to 20 out.
| am not questioning the verac'ty Of
tho President even if mine has been
questioned. :
There is much that might say,
but only one thing l want to Saw in
conclusion. The President. in his
statement. says that: ITO add, as Sen
ator Chamberlain did. that there Is
inefficiency in every department and
bureau Of the Government is to show