Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-25


he assumed responsibility for the
speech as reported by newspapers and
had read to the senate verbatim re-
port published in the New York Times.
= Upon his return to Washington, Sen
ator Chamberlain said, he received a
letter from President Wilson contain
ing a quotation taken from the New
York World and asking if the quota
ton was correct Senator Chamber
lain replied that he had been quoted
substantially correctly in the World
but asked the president to read the
entire speech, as printed in the Times,
instead of only part of it.
DEMAND FOR EFFICIENCY.
Senator Chamberlain's letter added
that he was discussing only the policy
cor lack of policy" of the military
establishment. After stating his ex'
perience in the military affairs COM
mittee, and testimony in the commit
tees Investigations, the senator's let
ter continued:
II believe I know something about
the deficiencies in the military estab-
lishments, deficiencies which are
clearly recognized and proven in
system that ought to be remodeled
for the proper prosecution of the war,
and have these disjointed and unco-
Ordinated defects weeded out
NO REPLY FROM WILSON.
In his letter the senator also Of
fered to go over the whole situation
with the president but said he re-
ceived no reply and on the following
day the presidents statement criu-
Ching him was published.
The presidents statement and Sen
ator Chamberlain's reply then were
read to the senate and the Oregon
senator observed:
II do not know If any reply to my
letter was necessary. I assume that
statement is the answer.
"The statement Of the president
challenges me, of course, for proof OF
the statement in the New York Times,
to which statement l adhere and re-
peat before this body.
DUTY is TO AMERICA.
"The people Of this country may
not see this as I do, but as chairman
of the military committee, as an
American citizen and a member OF
this distinguished body, I felt that
should say the things that are in me,
and If / succeed in making rift in
the clouds through which the Ameri.
can people may see l will feel that my
efforts have not been in vain.
"Now, that my truthfulness has
been questioned" Senator Chamber
lain continued, IT feel it my duty to
tell the country something l might
not have told under ordinary circum-
stances"
PRESIDENT NOT INFORMED.
He repeated he had not distorted
the truth in his speech made in New
York but that owing to the great rush
Of business due to the war the presi'
dent probably has not been able to /!
ascertain the truth and does not know
the truth. From the lips of those
closest to the president, the chief ex.
ecutive can not learn the truth, not
because his advisers desire to mis-.
lead him, but because they are sit
uated insthe same position as he Is.
ATTACKS BAKERS CLAIMS.
'"The secretary Of war in general
'tatement to the country, which was
and ably prepared, tells us
hat 1920, 000, 900 have been appropri-
tied for the ordnance department and !
hat contracts for $1,677, 100000 have
been awarded" he continued. This
Ia true. But the secretary failed to
tell the country that America failed
10 stand prepared.
*France. bled white,'' he continued,
-is furnishing America today and the
troops going abroad with heavy ord
nance. machine guns and airplanes. If
We relied on our ordnance department
In this emergency land this is war
Of artillery the war would be ended
before we ever got enough guns to go
to the front. France agreed to deliver
this artillery. To win America? Did
she furnish it in order to invite
CALLS SECRETARY UNFAIR.
It would be improper, he said to
give details of American purchases Of
ordnance from the allies but referred
senators to the confidential testimony
before the committee by Major Cen
eral Crozier, chief OF ordnance.
IF the administration had wanted
to be fair to the American people," he
shouted, "why didn't the secretary of
war let the people know, so that
people could assist in getting ready
for this terrible calamity that con-
fronts not only America, but the whole
world?"
Senator Chamberlain charged that
the ordnance bureau failed in 1916 10
prepare for war when it seemed Ger.
tain"
"JUsT DOING NOTHING"
There were omens in the sky" he
continued, that America couldn't
keep out. What was the ordnance de-
partment doing? Nothing. 1t was
lying supinely on it's back, not max
ing gauges for manufacturing ordnance
nor discovering the possibilities Of
doing nothing,
absolutely nothing"
Appropriations for jigs and dies to
make ordnance, he said had not been
used.
I'm not blaming anybody in par
the senator continued. ~
have high regard for General Crozier
But we have not been able to do wha:
France and all our allies
have done and that is to retire these
gentlemen who have not shown them
selves up to the mark. We ought not
dismiss them in disgrace but in other