Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-20

sion of a league of nations. He said
he favored immediate return Of the
American forces from Europe and
declared urgent demands for ship
ping should be made uDon the allies.
Prolonged applause came from tho
galleries when the Missouri senator
said that if the allies refused ship
ping the United States should imme-
diately revoke all commercial priv
leges accorded them. The spectators
We're sharply reprimanded by Vice
President Marshall.
IF We had been making peace in
stead of contracts for the future we
would have been much nearer a final
settlement of peace conditions said
Mr.. Reed. asserting that retention Of
soldiers in American camps espec-
tally was piece of stupidity with
out parallel or excuse" e.,
Incompctcncy Alleged.
Il don't think it, is difficult to tell
who is telling the war department
when to release soldiers" declared
Senator Reed. Il think any depart
ment that keeps three fourths of a
million men in camps after the war
is over is incompetent or worse than
Incompetent"
IF we could send to Europe" he
continued, 100000 men month
through seas infested with mines and
submarines. why can't we. when the
seas are clear and free from danger,
return them as rapidly"
Declaring it was wrong to keep
American soldiers abroad another
day, Senator Reed advocated demand
ing that Great Britain and France as
sist in furnishing ships to bring them
back. He declared the United States
has done enough for both those coun-
tries to warrant such a request
Lewis to Rescue.
Senator Lewis Of Illinois inter-
upted TO say the allies ships could
not be controlled by this nation.
Il know they would furnish ships
if the proper demand was made and
II ought to be made mighty quickly"
declared Senator Reed. ... t
Instead of writing leagues of ma
tons, he said, I'D say to the gem
tlemen running these countries. i
need some ships now won't you give
them to us" But if they refused I'd
see to it every benefit and advantage
they have in the American market
would be taken away from them day
after tomorrow"
Senator Smoot of Utah, republican,
England had placed only three ships
at the disposal of the American gov
ernment for the return trip move
ment. Senator Lewis said England
needed her ships to transport her
own colonial troops and added he
did not wish the war department
criticised for conditions for which it
was not responsible. Il
Senator Reed said the people Of
this country would not be in a tenn
per to support the next Liberty loan
unless they found the government in
clined to foot the expenses. Charac-
terizing the failure to speed up de-
mobilization as gross mismanage-
ment," he said unless some steps
were taken Immediately to improve
the situation he would Introduce q
resolution requiring that demobilizing
be fastened.
In concluding his address, the SEN
ator announced he would discuss the
league of nations in the senate Sat
urday.
Shafroth Also Speaks.
Declaring the criticisms We're Gun
fair" Senator Shafroth of Colorado,
democrat, defended the war DEPART
ment and submitted figures which he
said he had Just obtaiped by tele-
phone. showing that f,156, 900 men
in camps in the United States had
been discharged since the signing of
the armistice He said that in add
ton, 1872, 900 men had been returned
from France, while 10000 were at
sea en- route home
Replying to questions by Senator
Reed, Senator Shafroth said it was
true that MORE than 100000 men
now We're in home camps awaiting
discharges.
Statistics showing production of !
war materials and the amount trans |
ported to France We're read by Sena- /
tor Shafroth from figures which he |
said had been furnished him by the |
war department. These were char |
acterized by Senator Reed as being /
deliberately misleading as to facts" !
The Missouri senator said many !
things could be said in praise of the |
war department, but he added that |
when the department tried to con-
vince the country that it has per |
formed miracles" it was not present /
ing the truth" |
Senator Reed read several tele- |
grams sent last September by Cen |
eral Pershing urging the sending of
supplies and telling of the shortage |
of motor transportation.
II have got a stack of these" said I
Senator Reed, but | don't intend to |
read them, for | do not want to dis |
courage the American people"
Senator Smoot criticised what he |
said was a practice of the war de- I
partment in sending up a load of I
stuff to cucumber the record the very |
minute any criticism of the depart /
ment Is made" .#.u.a