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Saturday, July 22, 2017

REPUBLICANS CHALLENGE WILSON'S WAR MANAGEMENT

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2378

HOUSE REPUBLICANS CHALLENGE WILSON'S WAR MANAGEMENT

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) 100 years ago today, July 22, 1917, Republicans led by Representative Martin Barnaby Madden* were preparing to cite "many instances of...mismanagement of war activities and the adoption of arbitrary policies" by the administration of Democratic President Woodrow Wilson. 

A Congressional War Board, designed to provide a check on the conduct of the war by the Executive Branch, was set to debate these charges.

One of the charges of mismanagement alleges that the War Department's plan for quartering 500,000 men "is threatened with serious embarrassment and delay" due to controversy over administrative methods.

*Martin Barnaby Madden (1855-1928) was born in Wolviston, England.  He served as a Republican member of Congress representing Illinois 1905-1928.  MBM was chairman of the Committee on Appropriations.  He died in the committee room at the U.S. Capitol on April 27, 1928.

SOURCES

"Madden, Martin Barnaby", History, Art and Archives", United States House of Representatives, www.history.house.gov/

"Row Over Curb on Wilson's War Conduct Looms", The Chicago Daily Tribune, July 23, 1917.


Martin Barnaby Madden
Underwood & Underwood Photo
Collection of the 
House of Representatives (1926)