The Washington herald., 1918-01-25
HASTE VITAL
TO BEAT HUN,
7. DECLARES
Former President Con-
demns Department for
Delaying Program.

condemnation for the War De-
partment featured Col. Theodore
Roosevelt's address to the Ma
tional Press Club last night on the
conduct of the war.
interviewer with the three was
a strong argument in behalf of
Senator George E. Chamberlain's
fight for a stronger more central
ized handling of War Department
affairs.
The prime neeA now is the
need for haste" declared the
Colonel. And second only to it
is the need for teamwork. We've
had too many star players here
in Washington. but too little team
work" And with this as his text,
Roosevelt hammered for an hour
to get his points home.
should support Officials.
Our duty is to support every Of
ficial. high or low, as long as he
efficiently does his duty" asserted
Col. Roosevelt. But it is only less
out duty to expose the inefficiency
of any official in speeding up the
war. no matter who or where he is"
Strongest praise was reserved for
the investigating committees that
have brought out the truth in re-
gard to executive department activ-
tiles. He quoted the then Pro-
fessOr Woodrow Wilson" as fol-
lows:
Unless it CCOngress). have and
use every means of acquainting it,
self with the actions of the eXecu-|
tive departments, the country must
be helpless to learn how it is being
served. The informing function of
Congress should be especially pre-
ferred to it's Jegislative fupctiou1s.
That Is the principle upon which 1
shall act" Col. Roosevelt said. And
1 shall support TO the best of nay abil-
ity Senator Chamberlain and his asso-
Ciates Investigating the administration
and the maladministration of the War
Department. l know the committee
headed by Senator Chamberlain has
rendered the highest service to the
country
Continuing on the theme of investi-
cations. Roosevelt praised Chairman
Edward y. Hurley. of the Shipping
Board. for the spirit in which Hurley
accepted the Senatorial investigation
of the boards activities. He followed
that up with a good word for the
navy. which. after the first six
months of the war has. he said. shown
"a remarkable change" and ION the
whole has done lis work we'll" Dur
ing the first six months. Col. Roose-
welt said. the navy was not up to the
mark owing to lack of decision"
He could not. however. resist the
temptation to advise Secretary Daniels
TO drop his attitude toward ladies knit
ting sweaters for sailors. Daniels, he
declared. should punish the man with
whom he has a quarrel. and not the
sailors or the scores of thousands Of
women knitting sweaters.
The Colonel said in part:
The first requisite is to get the
ships. Submarines are destroying
more tonnage than has been built in
the last few months" He had no
method of speeding up the shipping
program. but declared for centralized
control Of American shipping.
I'VE should establish some one man
who shall have complete control of
shipping operations" he asserted. I'VE
have excellent men for getting the
ships, but We have no expert direct
ing shipping operations. Operations
are conducted under three of four sep
arate and conflicting agencies.
AN organization with one strong,
trained expert to direct operations for
all departments, would be the equiya-
lent Of adding 100000 tons to our
shipping.
Need for Criticism.
Il understand the discus sion is inch
ing along and in a week or two maybe
we will take the engines he said dis
cussing the railroad situation. II
should have taken the 200 locomotives,
and then discussed it." That was the
way he acted in the Panama Canal
case. he added. and he was willing to
stand criticism in view OF the fact
that the country has the canal.
"The worst offense that can be COM
mitted is to untruthfully assail an eff
ficient public servant. Next in evil
doing comes the offense of the man
who untruthfuIly defends an inef-
hcient servant from having his inef-
ficiency exposed.
L care not a snap of my fingers
for the politics Of a man who is doing
good work at this time. 1t is for that
reason that l have supported and
shall continue to support, to the very
best OF my ability, Senator Chamber
lain and his associates in the COM
mittee who have been conducting the
investigation into the administration
and the mal-administration of the
War Department. / have followed
pretty closely the actions of that
Senatorial Committee. 1 do not be-
lieve that any OF its members have
been influenced in the slightest degree
by partisanship.
"Of course 1 think the Senate in
yestigaticn has been very helpful
[ think they have brought out a
number Of things that have not only
helped to satisfy the public state Of
mind. but have helped me and helm
ID the stan. II the House commit
tee should hold q hearing and we
should proft as much by the House
hearing as we have by the Senate
hearing II might be a good thing.
i belfeve-no. am going to alter
hat statement; 1 am going to put
Il as 1t should be put. 1 know that
he Senate Investigating Commfttee
under Senator Chamberlain, has rem
iered the highest service to this
eoNrrsuED on PAGE THREE