Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-15
SAYS MR.. WILSON IS
"PLAY|NC POLITICS"
Senator Weeks, Of Mass. Sharply
Attacks President in Speech
for a War Cabinet.
nv Associated Press TO Every Evening

WASHINGTON, Feb. Is.
President Wilson WAS charged with
deliberately injecting politics into the
controversy over war efficiency by Senator
Weeks, Of Massachusetts a Republican
member OF the military committee, In a
speech today vigorously criticising the
War Department and other branches of
the government.
Supporting the Military Committee S
WAL cabinet and munitions director
bills as constructive non-partlsan
effort To aid and not embarrass President
Wilson in unifving Americas war force,
senator Weeks detailed DELAYS and diff
culties of the governments military
preparations lie declared that lack of
a central body to make and direct all of
the governments war plans is largely
responsible for present and past troubles.
In has charge against President Wilson,
the senator said.
Not a question indicating PARTISAN
ship was raised until the President
deliberately injected politics into the
situation by An attack upon the chairman
of the committee Senator Chamberlain
81 Oregon. Democrat and the committee
itself and hv calling 10 the White House
many Democratic party leaders, not for
consultation purposes, but TO insist
that discussion Of this question on the
floor Of the Senate bc prevented If pos
,Ihlc Have We come 10 such a pass that
the action of the most important COM
mittec in Congress at this time is to be
forbidden Ivy the President
RAPs SECRETARY BAKER
Referring to Secretary Baker, Senator
Weeks SAID after praising many army
achievements:
Neither do | wish 70 unjustly or
unrCsCrvcdly criticisC the head of the
War Department Tic has had 10 deal
with a multitude Of questions the dis
poSal 81 many Of which meet my approval.
IL would require too much tune to cnumcr-
ate The Secretary has done that effect
lively IN his speech made 70 the committee
Jan 2S
If were to criticisc the Secretary
personally, II would bc.tha: he has under
taken 20 DO too many things himself.
some of which might have been left to
siihordlnaics. II were 10 make further
criticism. II would relate 20 his tcmpcra-
mental relationships 10 the war. Doubt
less nc himself would admit that he Is
pacIfst hy nature For example. even
now he Is opposed to universal military
training and cannot dIvor = myself from
the conclusion based on ms own testimony
that he has been inclined 10 plan for prose
cItion of the war and this condition has
q some degree pcrmeatcd the depart
mcut -on the basis that We are 5000
miles away from the front. instead Of
Fastening preparation with AL the vlgor
W would exercise II our borders were the
battlefront
Referring TO Mr. Bakers reply when
sskcd hV the committee II other men
could not have done things better. that he
did not know All the men IN the world
and could not Judge their capabilities,
Senator Weeks SAID the answer was
somewhat fippant and that II Is i'm
possible to expect a department whose
head makes such a statement 10 make
many changes which IN outside lnvcstl-
cation have shown t. be necessary.
BRANDS SYSTEM As DISCOUNTED.
One Of the notable features Of the
present situation Senator Weeks con
tinucd. i the virUlcncc used in attacking
those who favor the committees plan
oi centralIzatIon They are referred 10 as
plotters, miSchIcvous mcddlcrS and even
a. ScrVltOrs of fhc enemy. Every means
IL false suggestion has been used To dis
credit "a sincere and loyal attempt 10 make
change which Will materially increase
the ofhccucy 81 our war administration
Asserting that II Is physically impo~-
sihlc for the President 10 individually
cu-ordluatc and direct all of the govern
ment function. senator " ceks added.
Can i =, possible the President viii
b. embarrassed Toy such cabinet? II
would seem a. ID he would bc embarrassed
% greater oxtcn, hl pcrpctuation Of
the dl,Jointcd system which now exists.