The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-04
Senator Hitchcock, Democrat,
Hurls an "Oratorical Bomb"
Attacks Alleged Inefficiency of
Present War Management.
SCORNS WILSON SOFT PEDAL
War Dept Fails; Rail Control
Is Gigantic Wreck.
Declares Bakers Efforts To
Correct Defects Are Futile.

Washington. Feb. 4.-Declaring
that the war department is better
equipped with brakes than with mo-
tive power" and that chaos alone has
resulted from other departmental
work, Senator Hitchcock, Nebraska,
today resumed demands in the senate
for further co-ordinatio of the ma
tons war efforts.
He declared Secretary of War
Bakers sanguine prediction" regard
ing troops shipments to Europe was
..exaggera ton of the widest sort"
Hitchcock's attack came in the face
of personal and urgent demands by
President Wilson for less discussion OF
the war cabinet bill and more action
on vital legislation. 1t marked the
opening of a spirited discussion in the
senate and house over the Chambers
lain measures.
Attacks '.Tall<Iess'' Request
'The president has announced he
does not want the committee to re-
port the cabinet bill and if press re-
ports be true, he objects even to 4
discussion of this legislation in the
senate" Hitchcock stated.
This attitude on the part of the
president is unfortunate but not alto
gether unnatural
1.-The president belongs TO the school
of political philosophers who adhere
to the belief that all important legis-
proposed by the executive to the legis-
lative body.
"I cannot subscribe to this scheme
of government, altho it has some OBJ
vious advantages in that it provides
leadership, order and program.
"Since he became president, Mr..
Wilson has enforced his views upon
congress in large degree and gem
orally with good results. Now and
then. however, there must be excep-
tions.
Wilson Doesn't Knew Situation.
.I agree with Senator Chamberlain
that the president does not know the
real situation. He cannot give two
months to investigation we have
done. Like king. surrounded by his
court, he hears practically only one
side. The people who complain do
not reach the president, nor even
members of his cabinet.
Shall the congress not be per-
mitted to amend defective machinery?
Cannot one of its great committees be
permitted to report its conclusions on
pending bill? Shall the senate be
even prohibited from discussing bills?
IT cannot believe our duty to the
people would be performed by such
weak abdication of responsibility
ITO use a slang phrase, 1t is UP to
us.
FAILURE TO COORDINATE.
Hitchcock charged specifically that:
The war department has fallen
down i'm most of its important fune-
tionS.
Secretary Bakers efforts 10 correct
defects in his department would be
futile
The transportation system has faI-
There is no power TO coordinate
transportation across the Atlantic and
production here.
Laca of proper directing authority
has resulted in the present fuel situ-
alton. The present condition of our
shipbuilding is nothing less than
shocking"
Efforts to move food for our allies
and ourselves have miscarried.
The Nebraska senator asserted that
this situation was due TO the failure to
make the various departments work
together and co-ordinatc their efforts.
THE president is quoted as object
ing to any change in the law on the
ground that he is responsible for con-
duct of the war" said Hitchcock.
Wilson Trying To Do Too Much
TT would be a monstrous wrong to
hold him responsible for the many
shortcomings because nothing but the
genius of perfection and the power of
omniscicnce could enable one man to
look after these vast interests.
He cannot at one time design and
conduct our difficult foreign policy,
perform the duties of commander in
chief of the army and navy, act as his
own prime minister. design all 1egis-
lation for congress to pass, dictate all
industrial, financial and political ac-
tivities of the country and look after
the expenditure of $250,000 900 Z
week. 1t is out of the question and
out of reason
Taking up the failures of the vs,
department" Hitchcock declared the
military affairs committee. after con.
sidering the revelations made al its in
vestigation. decidede cit will serve no
purpose to make scapegoats of a few
individuals.
1t decided it would perform its high
est duties by recommending to the
senate such a change in the law an
would give the executive an up-to-date
war making organization, he said
Renews Cantonmcnt Charges.
He declared that the present sye-
tenn is obsolete and cumbersome 50
that efficiency is well nigh impossible.
We found provisions for checks
cautions. delays, debates and dis
agreements, but little or no provision
for prompt decisions and energetfe
action" he asserted
Nine months after we entered the
war and three months after our men
were gathered in cantonments we
found in the dead of winter thousands
oe men without overcoats, lacking
woollen breeches, without wooIlen
blouses and other serious shortages
We found most of the machine gun
companies unable to drill two months
after they were formed because they
had no machine guns. Even in De-
cember we find 1.200 still kept Ia