The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-01-25
CHAMBERLAIN
MAKES REPLY
TO PRESIDENT
Began by Repeating State
rnent Which Drew Fire
From Mr.. Wilson.
STANDS FIRMLY
BY HIS CHARGES
Asserts That Americas Mil
itary Establishment En-
neshed in Inefficiency.
fBv Associated Press1

washington, jan Z4.--Standlng nrm-
ly by his charge that Americas mill
tary establishment is enmashed in in
efficiency, Senator Chamberlain, OF
Oregon, chairman of the military COM
mittee, replied in the senate today to
President Wilson's denunciation of
his recent New York speech by repeat
ing the statement which drew the
presidents fire and declaring that the
president himself does not know the
truth.
Senator Chamberlain declared he
would show that the deaths of the
hundreds and thousands of men at
cantonments and camps were due to
the war department and that all epi
denies could have been prevented if
the war department had been effective
Senator Chamberlain read a. letter
received from President Wilson op
posing the creation of a minister Of
munitions. He said he did this 10
counteract the presidents charge that
he had not been consulted regarding
proposed legislation.
After speaking nearly three hours,
Senator Chamberlain concluded with
plea that he was only doing his
duty in arousing the country to its
danger and that he would support the
president, although grossly maligned."
Senator Kirby of Arkansas, a Demo-
crat. began a reply.
Chamberlain's Speech. o
He repeated that he had not dis
torted the truth in his speech made
in New York, but that owing to the
great rush of business due to the war
the president has probably not been
oh - 70 rfaif In fritth nd
not know the truth. From the lips
of those closest to the president, the
chief executive cannot learn the truth,
not because his adviseSs desire to mis-
lead him, but because Sley are situated
in the same position as he is.
1.-The secretary of war. in a general
statement TO the country which was
carefully and ably prepared. tells us
that SO, 100000 have been appro-
priated for the ordnance department
and that contracts for s1,677, ,000,0 600
have been awarded" he continued.
This is true. bat the secretary failed
to tell the country that America failed
to stand prepared
France, bled white" he continued.
"is furnishing America today and the
troops going abroad with heavy ord
nance, machine guns and airplanes
a
ment in this emergency (and this
a war of artillery, the war would be
completed before we ever got enough
to the front. France agreed to de-
liver this artillery. To win for America"
II was improper, he said, to give
details OF American purchases of ord
nance from the allies but referred SEN
Gtors TO the confidential testimony be-
fore the committee by Major General
Crozier. chief of ordnance.
eff the administration had wanted
TO be fair to the American people, he
shouted, "why didn't the distinguished
secretary of war, and / have the high
est regard for him, let the people know
so that the people could assist in get
ting ready for this terrible calamity
that confronts not only America but
the whole world?'
Senator Chamberlain charged that
the ordnance bureau failed in 1916 to
prepare for war when it seemed GER
tain.
There were omens in the sky" he
continued, that America couldn't keep
out. What was the ordnance depart
ment doing? Nothing. 1t was lying
supinely on its back, not making
gauges for manufacturing ordnance
nor discovering the possibilities of
manufacturing doing nothing, alb
soIutely nothing"
Appropriations for jigs and dies to
make ordnance, he said, had not been
used.
I'm not blaming anybody in par
ticular." the senator continued. IT
have high regard for General Crozier.
But we haven't been able TO co wnat
England, France and all our other al
lies have done and that is to retire
these gentlemen who have not proven
themselves up TO the mark. We ought
not to dismiss them in disgrace, but
in other countries they have gone in
to innocuous desuetude. This isn't
question of personalities. This is not
a question between the president and
myself Its a question OF America,
and every man ought to make il his