The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-18
SENSATION IS CREATED
Measure Called "A Makeshift
Attempting to Form An
Army Without Men
HAYS FIGURES ARE DENOUNCED
View Secretary of War Thought to
Have Signed Document Without
Fully Knowing Its Content.

An army scandal that may result in a
makeup in the War Department or the
Army War College. was precipitated
acre yesterday as a result Of the action
u Representative Gardner, Of Massachu-
Ietts in presenting to the House a let
Ter bearing the signature OF Newton b.
Baker. Secretary of War.
In this letter Secretary Baker takes
ssue with Chairman Hay. Of the Military
Committee. on number Of questions
II fact stated in Mr.. Hays report on the
Irmy bill now pending in the House. He
characterized as "fallacious" certain de-
Iuctions made by Chairman Hay as to
he military resources of the United
States
The Baker letter created a sensation
n Congress and in administration circles.
Il was generally accepted as foreshadow-
ng an immediate break between Secrc-
airy Baker and Chairman Hay, and fear
vas expressed that in the melee the ad-
ninistration program Of preparedness
night be held up.
lid not write the letter that bears his
lame. It was prepared for his signature
y a high officer OF the army, and was
dgned as a matter Of routine by Mr..
fsker on the second or third day after
ie had been iaducted into office as Sec
'ctary Of War.
Friends of Mr.. Baker insist that he did
rot know that the letter, which was ad-
Iressed to Mr.. Gardner in response to an
inquiry, was written in such way as to
invite controversy They declare that an
Investigation will be ordered at once.
Baker Hits Hay Bill.
The Baker letter is extremely critical Of
he Hay bill as a preparedness measure
dr. Gardner wrote to the Secretary Of War
skiing how many men are now available
g a national force without the passage
( the Hay bill calculating in the same
vav as Mr. Hay calculates in his report
he answer Of the Secretary, in sub
lance. was that the Hay bill was a make
hift. and that it was an attempt to make
n army without men.
Tmy bill that l.S24.T9O men will be at once
valuable when the bill is passed In his
etter to Mr.. Gardner Secretary Baker
avs that calculating as Mr.. Hay cal
.ulates the United States has I,28I.7sO men
.vailabIs now without passing the Hay
ill. and adds
In other words the only immediate ef-
ect OF the passage Of the House army
in would be the increase OF the regular
'rmy by i0o0l men and even that in
.r"ssc, being added in four annual mere
ncnts. would require about four years
ims 10 be recruited and a still longer
ime to become effective"
There is a sharp difference between Mr..
lay. speaking through his report. and
ur. Baker, as his views are expressed in
he letter submitted to the House yes
erday by Mr.. Gardner.
DtHcr Over Figures.
Here is the deadly parallel between
what Chairman Hay claims for his bill
and what the Secretary Of War finds the
'rlI pro, ides:
Mr.. Hay says it will make I.Sei.79O men
Immediately available.
The Secretary says it will add ZOO men
o the regular army in four or five years.
MIR. Hay says the reserve regular army
will be CO0oO men. The Secretary saws
hat our present reserve of the regular
army is now only 2,Sa men, but that
{ will ultimately be 1000 men, whether
the Hay bill is passed or not. The Ser
rotary further says that the Hay bill
Sill ultimately increase the reserve BY
500 men, but this increase will not be-
gin to become effective until about three
years after the passage Of the bill.
Mr.. Hay estimates that 10000 former
regulars can be counted upon as part of
our available material The Secretary
says that only ''S2,7s6 instead Of 20 200
as estimated by Mr.. Hay would be avail
able About these s2.7ss the Secretary
remarks that 1t is unsafe to consider
them as adequately trained except with
respect to discipline Three months in
Lensive training probably would render
them effective"