The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-04-02
STORM OF CRITICISM
BREAKS IN SENATE
ADMINISTRATION is SCORED BY
MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES
ON CONDUCT OF WAR.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-Congress
today was split wide open over war
policies. The storm center was the
senate, but in the house there was
much smouldering discomfort. The
gravity of the situation in Picardy
and a realization among many sena-
tors that there had been a break
down in part of the war preparations
already had resulted in some plain
talk. And it was made very plain
that at least SO far as the senate was
concerned the members intended tell
ing the country what they knew
about the war program, regardless of
the views of the administration.
Stirred by news of further British
and French reverses under the Ger
man drive senators hurled hurri-
cane of criticism for failure of the
aeroplane and shipping programs,
lack of guns and the governments
failure to inform the people" in
'this dark hour"
The critics ripped the lid off the
voluntary censorship in order to
give the people the cold, hard
facts"
Truth Must Be Told.
Senator Lodge, Massachusetts: 81
o.oipor fn fall fba +,s,,th =.
crime in this dark hour to keep from
the American people facts well
known to the enemy. We have no
aeroplanes in France, no big guns.
We've built but two ships"
Senator Thomas, Colorado: "The
Hun may ere long be on our soil.
We must awake, quit deceiving our
selves and mass every resource now"
Senator Poindexter, Washington
The time when silence is golden has
passed for me-when our airplane
program has failed so terribly that it
is a scandal to the entire world"
Senator Fall, New Mexico: "The
only way the president can be reach
ed now is by giving the American
people the information he has failed
to assimilate."
Crowded Galleries Applaud.
Crowded senate galleries disre-
garded strict senate rules and broke
into long and noisy applause when
Senator Johnson, California, declared
that there is only one way to RENE
dy this sort of outrage upon Ameri-
can youth, and that, in the words of
a distinguished executive, is pitiless
publicity"
1t was the most dramatic moment
IN dramatic session.
Johnson had been inquiring of
Senator New, of Indiana, concerning
details of the airplane program.
1T is true, as it is being stated
around this building today, that a
witness before the military commit
tee testified that without let or hin
drance the Germans fly over Ameri-
can trenches so low that our boys
ire at them with revolvers?" asked
Johnson.
1T is" replied New.
Il am willing to give my blood in
this war as you all are" said John
son, but we ask, for the blood that
We give, fair chance.
" want to ask the senator from In
dana, who has said he wants to tell
the people the truth, what was the
aircraft program from July 1 last
yeal to July this year,"
81 Combat Planes by July, Maybe.
Senator New replied that 10000
combat planes were to have been de-
l,.Eeled by July l, 1918, according to
me original program.
how many will we have by that
cate?' asked johnson.
"Ihirty-seven," said New.
-, We ought to be very proud that
the French are protecting our lines
with their airplanes," declared Sena-
tor New.
Mistakes have been made in the
past and these mistakes have been
enormous" said Hitchcock. "But it
IS unfair to say we are building no
battle planes. The liberty motor may