The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-24

Why not manufacture the Lewis
gum"
The secretary of war testified be-
fore the committee he said. that in
September the Z. S. had nine Brown
ing guns with which to go out against
the millions of Germany He de-
nounced the cry that investigation
gives in incarnation to the enemy.
Germany Already Knows II.
Germany knows more about Amer
lea today than the men connected with
the departments, Senator Chamber
lain 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
the prosecution of the war; he added
Great Britain, he said. did not waste
time. The United States could have
adopted the same kind of a rifle as
used by England. as plants in this
country were equipped for manufac-
turing them. he commended
But while the house burns" he
shouted, America determines thru
the ordnance bureau what instrument
talities are to be adopted" He con-
coded that the rifle as finally adopted
was an Improvement over the British
gun but declared it took days and
months to perfect il"
After the engineers of various gun
ma king plants had been consulted
gun finally was agreed upon for the
American army but the ordnance hu-
.reau, thru a very distinguished Off
GER" ordered that the number of parts
be increased which added to the de-
lay.
why should not America knew
these things?" the senator demanded.
Some people in the west, he said, be-
lieve America has all it needs.
IF they only knew the actual con
di,ions," he continued. they Would
civ a IN oct
America. Casual reading of the secre-
tary of wars statement gives the i'm
preston that We had everything. But
when we get the testimonies of the
men on the ground, different informa-
ton is obtained
Neccssaries Were Lacking.
Citing the testimony of an army Off.
Ger from Camp Bowie, Texas, who 6e-
clared there was not a single trench
mortar there, and that other neces-
saries were lacking, Senator Chamber
lain declared:
That is true of every camp in the
United States. If it had not been for
the civilian people who have come
here and given their time and service
we would not have been anywhere"
Turning to the quartermaster gen.
erals department Senator Chamber
lam declared that from Secretary Ba-
ker's general statement the country
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 is not there" he continued ION
a per capita basis it is there, but
when it comes to effective distribu-
ton they simply have not got the
clothing.
quartermaster general. He has done
the best he could under the present
system. The president inherited that
system and has done the best he
could. The president isn't RESPONSE
bic for the system. But the fact re-
mains that We have not the clothing.
Somebody Must Have Lied.
Senator Chamberlain said he pro-
posed to show by Secretary Bakers
own testimony that the secretary did
not know of actual clothing condi-
tons. That is why 1 say" he con-
inued. that the president did not
know the truth. And 1 did. He must
have gotten his facts from the sec
retary who in turn got them from
somebody else and somebody must
have lied. And that's why 1 say the
president has not been given the
truth.
Striding out into the center of the
aisle, in an attitude of defiance, he
shouted:
Il feel it my duty. to my country
and my conscience to tell the truth. 1
have no fear of God, man or the devil
when my conscience prompts. And no
man in the country can keep me from
telling the truth. The only fear is
that this discussion may have a bad
effect on the country but if the con-
'ditions exist they ought to be correct
ed and quickly. Great Britain found
the same conditions and corrected
them quickly. So did France"
Photos of Wooden Guns.
Senator Chamberlain passed around
among senators photographs of wood
en- machine guns. rifles and heavy
ordnance used at cantonments and
asked senators to study them care
fully.
They are of some use,' he explain
ed, lin training men. But if 1 had
boy training for the battlefield 1 would
not want him to have his training
with nothing else than d wooden can
non.
England and France, he said, saw
the mistake of having artillerymen
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 comman-
! der-in-chief.
THE commander at Camp Sherman,
/ Ohio told him there was a shortage
of 1000 overcoats there. He referred
that statement to Secretary Baker, in
his usual placid way. He said. That's
I not true remarked the senator.
Senator Chamberlain then read from
a letter from Secretary Baker saying
a later report showed 10000 overcoats
were needed at Camp Sherman, but
that they were in course of shipmnt.
Charges System Broke Down.
That's the way ever since the war
started in course but not getting
there he declared. Then placing in
the record chart submitted to the
| military committee by Senator Baker
I showing shortages of material at all
camps varying from one to ninety per
cent, Chamberlain declared he wished
the condition to become known to the
people.