Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-03
PARTISAN POLITICS
CAN'T BLOT ARMY'S
HONOR, DAWESSAYS
General Tells House Commit
tee It Is Sacrificing Heroes
for Political Gain.
U, S. ACCOMPLISHED MORE
THAN BRITAIN OR FRANCE
''t.hank God. Soldiers We're Amerl-
cans, Not Democrats or Re-
publicans," he Says.


Turning sharply upon House war In
vestigating committees as a whole
Charles G. Dawes. former head OF the
Army supply procurement service IN
France, told one Of them today that
the value of their work had been rem
dered useless through injection OF par
tisan politics.
II bitterly resent this effort to reflect
upon the entire Army because some
poor devil blundered In Switzerland,
he shouted. "You cannot put a blotch
on the Army What the hell did we 60
in for-to steal money? 1t was not
republican or a democratic war. 1t was
an American war. And yet as rule
these committees try to bring In parti-
san politics.
"You could use your time investigat-
ing to a better advantage right here
trying to save disgraceful government
waste. You could save more money for
the people. But as to France, you
haven't got evidence to make q case If
one existed. and don't believe it does. N
ginia, told Gen. Dawes his idea Of in
vestigation- was to draw a lesson for
the future9 IL bad administration was
shown, to say SO; and II there was
fraud and graft to find it and see that
the guilty were punished.
Tells Of One CRATER.
''Yes," Gen. Dawes replied. "but
don't let this thing go before the peo-
pie as a partisan fight. Everybody
wants to hear something bad about
somebody else. am not here to make
charges that would blacken the name
of soldier who cannot come In to be
heard"
Asked about grafters who followed
the American Army to France. Mr.
Dawes said:
"Yes. they were there, some Of the
most despicable characters on earth
trying to help the Army by selling II
things 1t needed at exorbitant figures
There was one man we caught and
deported. What's his namsI oh'
raker. He was traitor and I wish
we could have shot him.
Gen. Dawes praised thesmen In the
Army, saying 1t was the fashion now
adAys to condemn them.
There were many women at the
hearing, but it didn't feazs the gen
eral, who swore constantly.
Considering everything, he ex-
claimed, 1.-THE record of accomplish.
ment Of the War Department in get
ting ready for war was . greater ac.
complfshment than that Of France or
II
time I don't believe you can pick
flaws there and I am not speaking as
. democrat.
'SThank God Army Was Ameffean."
Long after this committee is dead
and gone, the achievements of the
American Army will stand as an ever
lasting blaze Of glory. You have tried
hill. But, thank God. the Army was
American, not republican nor demo-
cratic"
Asserting that the people were tired
of war talk and fault t-finding, Gen.
Dawes, banging the table, said:
There's no news in 1t. II ! wasn't
here strutting around and swearing
there would be no news In this"
Mr.. Dawes ripped out streak of
oaths as he took up the attempt In
some charters to criticise Gen. Per-
shing.
"It will be twenty-five or fifty years
before Pershing's place in history is
fixed" he said. He could not have
won the war had he sought to put
popularity above duty. And let me
tell you-the doughboys now COM
planning will live to see the day when
they will be proud that they fought
under him."
Declaring authority and response
bility in the Army should be CEN
traliZed in peace times as we'll as dur
IHB war, ben. dawes Sd1Q the Amef1.
can Army was "deteriorating again
into bureaucracy which is bound to
prove inefficient"
You members of Congress who lis
ten to every whipper-snapping bureau
chief who comes running to you with
tale of woe are largely responsible"
the witness shouted.
The general pleaded that the Army
and it's officers be protected from
muckrakers who pick fiyspecks."
Calls SOme inheads.n
Look at the pinhead politicians who
are raising he'll about promotions for men
who earned them In France" he de-
ciared., They're doing 1t for petty rea-
sons It's dirty shame. l wasn't in
the Regular Army. but can be fair"
The committee was told the next
war" would ''break out overnight" and
that the Army and Navy probably would
get into row as to which was to boss
the affair.
Gen. Dawes declared the United States
aviation program had been a terrible
failure" largely because of "overcon-
fidence and inexperience."
Even If we didn't have the planes
we had the aviators, the best in the
world" he added.
Gen. Dawes declared the govern
msnt was purchasing its supplies .'in
the same wasteful and disgraceful
manner" as the Army had when the
United States entered the war The
President has authority. he continued
10 create centralized business con.
troll. Heavy taxation and a desire
for economy has put the public in q
fra me of mind favorable to such a
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