Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-24

: Major General Croz.er. chief of ord
nance.
IF the administration had wanted
to be fair to the American people,
/ he shouted. why didn't the dis
! tinguished Secretary of War, and L
have the highest regard for him,
let the people know, so that the peo-
pie could assist in getting ready for
this terrible calamity that confrontsI
not only America. but the whole
world?"
Senator Chamberlain charged that
the ordnance bureau failed in 1916
| to prepare for war when it seemed
certain.
This isn't a question of person
alities,' he said. This is not
question between the President and
myself. It's a question of America
and every man ought to make it his
whole purpose to see that America is
saved" He denounced the cry that
investigation gives information to
the enemy.
Germany knows more about
America to-day than the men con-
nected with the departments Sena-
tor Cham berlain declared. IF the
/ government would be frank with the
people. then we could rely upon the
people to rally to the support OF the
President and to the prosecution of
the war" he added.
After criticising delays in the Sc
| lection of gun types, he said:
Should Know Facts
why shouldn't America know
these things?" Some people in the
West, he said, believe America has
all its needs.
'1f they only knew the actual
conditions, he continued, they
would give their lives, their all. to
protect America. Casual reading of
the Secretary of Wars statement
! gives the impression that we had
everything. But when we get the
testimony of the men on the ground,
different information is obtained"
True of Every Camp
Citing the testimony of an Army
officer from Camp Bowie, Texas, who
declared there was not a single
| trench mortar there, and that other
necessary equipment was lacking,
senator Chamberlain declared:
That is true OF every camp in
the United States"
Turning to the Quartermaster Gen
! erals Department, Senator Chamber
| lain declared that from Secretary
| Bakers general statement the coun-
try would believe that Everything
was lovely and the goose hung high,
SO far as clothing is concerned"
| But when you talk to the men
that command these boys you find it
isn't there" he continued
"On a per capita basis 1t is there.
but when it comes to effective dis
tribution they simply haven't got the
! clothing.
Senator Chamberlain said he pro-
! posed to show by Secretary Bakers
own testimony that the Secretary did
not know of actual clothing condi-
tions.
That's why say" he continued,
that the President didn't know the
truth. And l did. He must have
gotten his facts from tine Secretary.
who in turn got them from somebody
else, and somebody must have lied.
And that's why l say the President
has not been given the truth"
Advancing to the center of the
aisle, Senator Chamberlain shouted:
Il feel 1t my duty to my country
and my conscience to tell the truth.
! have no fear of God, man or the
/ devil when my conscience prompts.
And no man in this country can
keep me from telling the truth. The
only fear l have is that this discns
sion may have a bad effect on the
country. But If the conditions exist
they ought TO be corrected and
quickly. Great Britain found the
same conditions and corrected them,
quickly. So did France"
Senator Chamberlain passed
around among Senators, photographs
OF wooden machine guns, rifles and
heavy ordnance use at cantonments
and asked Senators to study them
carefully.
They ore of some use," he ex-
planned, "in training men. But if |
"a n n hnN fN-1i iYNfY, fN,- I,O l,,N al
! would want him to have his train
ing with nothing else than a wooden
cannon
Allies Saw Mistake
England and France, he said, saw
the mistake of having army men
control the ordnance department.
You must go to men who have
done these things to get results" he
said, 'and Congress should face this
without fear of any man. but with
due regard for the distinguished
com mmander-in in chief"
The commander at Camp Sher-
man, Ohio, told him there was a
shortage of 1000 overcoats there.
| He referred that statement to Sec
retary Baker.
I'm his usual placid way, he said,
| that's not true" remarked the
Senator.
senator chamberlain then read
from a Letter from Secretary Baker,
saying later report showed 1000
overcoats were NEEDED at Camp Sher-
man, but that they "were In course
OF shipment"
That's the way ever since the
war started,-in course but not
getting there" he shouted.
Then placing in the record a
chart submitted to the Military
Committee by Secretary Baker,
showing shortages of material at all
camps varying from one to ninety
per cent, Mr.. Chamberlain declared
he wished that condition to become
known to the people.
Il W ant it shown whether I dis
torted the truth when I said the mil
itary system had broken down." said
| he.
Reading from the table to show
shortages of overcoats running as
| high as IS per cent. the Senator re-
minded the Senate the troops were
in the midst of winter"
War Department Responsible
Il am going to show that these
| hundreds and thousands of men dy-
ing in the cantonments are due to
the war departm he declared.
This information comes right from
the men who are on the ground
! They kno Wwhat they are talking
about. l didn't intend to do this, but
| in view of the situation that con-
| fronts me and involves my integrity,
! | feel it is my duty to the country.
| Il am going to call attention to
the statement of Surgeon General
d 81 a 4 -.