New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-01-25
STONE THROWS WRENCH INTO
WAR MACHINERY; POLITICAL
TURMOIL ENSUES

has been transformed from a del.
berative body, considering war prob
lens, into a turmoil of political strife
The change occurred within the space
of a few hours, and was brought
about by a carefully prepared speech
which was delivered by Senator Viii
liam J. Stone, of Missouri.
The speech was scheduled for de-
livery on Friday, but was postponed
until Monday. II had been delivtr r.
ed in advance to the Associated Press
and by that organization distributed
20 the American dailies. Admins.
t~ration leaders, including the Pres
ident, were aware of the highly ex-
plosive contents of the speech, and
it is said that many of the most in
nuential Democrats made most per-
.istent efforts to defect the Mis-
sourian from his announced course.
REMAINS OBDURATE
The efforts to dissuade proved flu
tile. The speech was delivered with
all the force which the renowned pa
eifist could command II v~iciously
denounced Senator Penrose, Nation
81 Republican Chairman Wilcox and
Former President Roosevelt. declar-
,sg that they had been del berat-ly
and ruthlessly injecting politics into
the war preparations. greatly to the
1etriment of American citizens and
American military forces.
Colonel Roosevelt wal singled out
for the most venomous part of the
attack. Among other choice epithets
which were applied, the great Ameri-
can was described as the most po-
tent agent the Kaiser has In Amer
xs," and the most seditious man Of
consequence in America" Replies
were made by several Of the Sem
atoTs, notable among them being by
Penrose and Lodge. The latter con-
fined his remarks to a d. liberate
presentation of the facts; the for
mer put into his remarks a good deal
of sarcasm and ridicule.
However, this session did not mark
tie close of the wransle. Senator
Chamberlain, chairman of the Com.
mittee on Military Affairs, made a
speech in New York, in which he
declared that the War Departing mt
was sadly inefficient; that in fact.
the machinery of his branch of the
government practically had broken
down. The speech wal made before
the National Security League, and
with only a little time for prepare.
ton.
SPEECH DENOUNCED
The President then evidently lost
his temper. The reports from Wash
ington are to the effect that his Ian.
suage was far more picturesque than
any heretofore ascribed to him. APP
parently deeply r, sentful, he declared
that Senator Chamberlain state
ment was IAN Astonishing and abb
solutely unjustifiable distortion of
the facts" As to Newton D. Baker,
the former pacifist, who remains on
the payroll as Secretary of War, the
President declared: my association
and constant conference with the
Secretary of War have taught me
to regard him as one of the ablest
public officials | have ever known"
Tho belief had been expressed in
some quarters that when Colonel
Roosevelt read Senator Stones at
tack, there would be a terrific ex-
plosion. 1t was expected that the
man who formerly swung the ~big
stick" would literally peel the hide
IL EohIC VI II oCI man Pho-
pagandist from Missouri, hanging
to serve as a warning to Others.
There was disappointment in store
for those who en- ertained any such
hopes. The Colonel remarked that
he had no time to reply to the at
tack. Il am infinitely less interested
in what Senator Stone says about
me than in what the President says
about Senator Chamberlain. The ma
tional motto at this time should be
Tell the truth, and speed up the
war"
OPPOSES COUNCIL
The President did not stop at as
sailing the truth of Senator Cham
berlain's statement, but announced
that with all his power and influence
he would oppose the bill to create a
war council, as drafted by Senator
Chamberlain's committee. He de-
clsred the war work is well in hand
and hat TO change the plan of or
ganization would have the effect of
seriously delaying further progress,
When the Senate was convened
yesterday, Senator Chamberlain,
speaking to a point of personal
priviIeg made a three-hour speech
in which he endeavored earnestly to
prove the truh of his original state
ments, which the President had
branded as false. He declar d that,
as chairman of the Senate Commit
tee on Military Affairs, he had been
in position to get the facts, and hat
he had gotten the facts, while the .
had been only partly in
or m~isinformed. He express
sed the highest respect for the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of War. but
said hat the people ought to know
the exact facts, and that he felt it 4,
to be his duty to present the facts.
PATRIOTIC DUTY {
The people of his country may :
not see this as ! d.. but as chair- .
man of the military committee :
as an American citizen and a .
member of this distinguished I
body, / felt that | should say the !