The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-02

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Washington. Dec. s1.--For neaxiys
three hours Monday Senator GeeTDD
n. Cham befiain. OF Oregon, clte1
man o. The military affAlrs crsa1lt1s
'&sa; A,ASSsa>f faaLs slsss sssiSs. Ss 9A&-
as he producod charge AFTER Ch4GU45
Of inefficiepcy against onicials ~ tMe|
war department for their treatnkeN&
Of the American soldiers.
Senator Chamberlain mentioned ~
names Of the ofliciab Responsible Tor
what he termed the war depaxtnsenta1
acknowledgement. He said, he all -
he intended to pursue the inquiry
until he did find out who WA9 ~
blame and TO gat their scA1pe.
Specific among the charges present.
ed by the Oregon senator were the
following: -
/. Absolute lack Of hospital -
cornAnoda ions to care for the wou&1-
ed soldiers who are being r6tuxAe4s
BY the thousands to this cduntry.
Q. withholding of the pay NH ~
lotments Of the men for many months
at a. time.
8. Inequality Of the sentences ret
ed out to men for petty offeuses ans
un-American manner. In which tho
court's-martial have been conducted.
4, Unjust treatment accorded AneA
in the service for overstepping the
bounds Of war department fred tnDe.
The charges were backed UP by
hundred of letters from soldiers and
from mothers and fathers Of s0l-
diers, many of which Senator Cham
berlain read into the record.
There are $4,000 wounded men
being brought to American from
France Senator Chamberlain sid.
and there are no hospitals in witch
10 put them. He declared, the same
| kind OF Encouragement had been
made in this respect. as Was nnde
in the lack OF preparation for the Nsx
in the early stages OF Americas parti-
cipation In IT,
The withholding Of the pay and
allotments from the men il mex
cusabie, the senator said, and Co13a
be easily avoided.
"One word from the secretary ct
var would remedy the situation" he
declared.
In the matter Of alleged unjust
sentences inflicted upon American
soldiers. Senator Chamberlain cited
number Of cases which has cene
to his particular attention.
Among these was the case OF SOL
der who was sentenced to twenty
five years at hard labor. because he
left camp without leave to SEE his
sick mother just before sailing Ter
France.
Another similar case cited wAs that
OF private in, the 155th intantry,
who was convicted Of absence with
out leave from May to IS. after
seas duty. 1t was shown that tbs
boy had gone to say goodbye % his
parents in Mississippi, but he was
sentenced TO dishonorable discharge
and fifteen years at hard labor.
Among instances of men who were
disciplined for violating the red
tape" of the department, Senator
Chamberlain told OF two young lieu
tenants, who asked for q transfer
from the flying branch to the artii-
lery, hoping to set more action. And
! for this they were discharged and
sent back from France. He inter
! coded for them with General March
| and. who restored their commissions
after finding their records clear and
had them sent to the tank corps
Senator Chamberlain said that the
i ofIioer responsible for this. according
! to his information, was Colonel 8tne
| ham. the personnel of1lcer In France.
! The case Of soldier suffering from
| tuberculosis in hospital in New
| Mexico, who was punished by mill
! tary court. because he wrote 70 Sens
tor Chamberins, asking help In eet-
! ting 4 discharge from tho army Nas
| Also given, f3enMtOr Chambers
said that the boys letter We eeNt
to tine war department through ~
advertence, and that when he learn
Led OF the punishment inflicted upon
the boy. he took the matter up With
Secretary Baker in person and oAeEed
to pay from his own pocket the NJ
teen days pay, which was deduC4ed
from the boy for writing tho ettee.
In presenting these cases ~ H.
senate, Senator Chamberlain sHi6 hs;
was not moved by malice, but ~ ~
desire to have the situation correCfed.
He went back over the speech made
by him last May. criticisinx thu W4rl
department for which he has GbuGed
by members of tho administrations.
But. he said, every one OF the tkfAGn
complained of in that speech haA
been corrected by removal Of proIn0~
tion of the efficient officers who we're
to blame.