The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-04
B FER ATTACK
MADE ON BAKER
The War Department Criticised
By Senator Chamberlain
Of Oregon,
END OF WAR REMOVES
Birdie OF CRITICS

SENE5SJF WAR hENOS EO
Birdie OF CRITICS.
Hours of Senate's Time Con-
sumed With Catalogue of the
Short Comings of Department.
washington, Dec. 30.-Senator
chamberlain of Oregon, chairman. OF
the military committee spoke for more
thar three hours in the senate today
inscridcisn of the war department,
dealing particularly with what he
termed the failure to provide adequate
s hospital facilities for returned wound
I'd soldiers and to formulate a, definite
llan for demobilization-
- The senator reiterated many Of the
5charges he made in his address at.
NV York soon after the nation en-
5ered the war and in subsequent ad.
dress ii the senate and said that in
formation that had come to light since
had justified the statements he had
1nade. Senator Chamberlain's New
York address brought forth sharp
Statement from President Wilson. Re
fsrsing indirectly TODAY to that crit
sicism the Oregon senator said that MS
purpose then and his purpose now
aWas to bring about an Improvement
sm conditions.
Senator Chamberlain who was
= heard by crowded galleries, said the
var depart ment now is pursuing with
regard TO hospital facilities the same
Iailatory tactics it did in the prosecu-.
3 ion Of the war many months ago.
sIf the war department, he de-
sclared, paid one-half the attention to
Preparations for receiving these boys
as they are to getting legislation
& through congress in order to pro-
Iect contractors who made contracts
for war supplies over the telephone
8 Ia violation of law, this matter would
soon be settled.
The need for a definite policy of de-
mobilization was urged by the sena-
tor, who said that if one were estab-
lished, unrest among the men In can
tonments and overseas would cease.
Hes praised the British plan for re-
Cunning It's soldiers to civil life. say
Iag ii. was framed along economic
lines.
The senator was frequently inter
rupteds by questions from other sena-
tors but there was no general debate
IN concluding, Senator Chamberlain
paid tribute to the American army
szin France, saying that only once, and
:siEel1 by: command of the French ofl-
eer in charge. had an American unit
ever given ground before the enemy.
No army IN all the history OF the
world, he declared, had made such
brilIant record
Senator Chamberlain said he re-
sferred to the overman bill, "in order
ITO draw from the past a lesson for our
guidance in the future "s
Criticism has been resented at all
times by the war department, he said
put In view of the good that came
from such criticism a yearsago good
may come out Of it again.
ssNow that the armistice has lifted
The veil of secrecy said the senator,
sswe know that every charge made by
the committee was absolutely true.
* Senator Chamberlain read exten-
siyeN from the recent report Of Gen.
sPershing to support his assertion
that despite the claim made as far
back as last February thousands Of
airplanes were being shipped abroad
and the heavy ordnance situation was
improving, it had been necessary for
the American forces to depend heavi-
5ESiy on both the French and British
governments for airplanes and big
guns. Even at st. Mihiel. he said.
the Americans were dependent upon
sthe French and British air service.
and also for guns.
Senator Chamberlain spoke of the
report of Charles E. Hughes on the
aircraft production as additional evi-
dence bearing out his charge Of inefh-
iency. particularly referring to that
u. ,rtion Of the report which said mis-
! aiding statements had been made on
nthority of the secretary of war con-
cerning the production of aircraft.
Regarding the American casualties he
said:
lSthlIS Ilic- IQfitOtI VI lllcU ON lIlc
battle front and the casualty-the
lead, wounded and missing-there
..as been practically 17.s per cent. of
the boys On the front killed, wounded
OR missing"
Senator Poindexter asked if it were
not fact that the president was re-
sponsible for the acts of the executive
departments. Senator Chamberlain
replied that the president could not
be held responsible for all the acts of
the departments.
e.In the failure to pay salaries Of
soldiers and the failure to construct
hospitals, would not one word from
the president remedy the whole mat
ter" Senator Poindexter asked.
eyes" said the Oregon senator.
sand one word from the secretary Of
war would remedy it also and it is