The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-19
SECRETARY BAKER BELIEVES THERE|
 WILL BE NO NEED OF UNIVERSAL MILITARY TRAINING AFTER THE WAR

| Washington, Dec. 19.-Secretary Bakers annual report for the War Department made public today con- stitutes only a brief historical review of the year, and so that 1t may be devoid of information for the enemy shows no recommendations, no detail- ed information of the transportation of the army to France or any army plans for the future. Secretary Baker does say, however, that he does not favor universal military training as regular national policy.
 '"Ehe department has not sought and does not now seek legislation on the subject" he says, chiefly for the reason that the formation of a per manent military policy will inevitably be affected by the arrangement con- sequent upon the termination of the present war. Civilized men must hope that the future has in store a relief from the burden of armament and the destruction and waste of war.
 However vain that hope may ap- pear in the midst of the most devas- tating and destructive war in the his tory of the race, it persists-perhaps because we are encouraged by the analogous substitution of courts for force in the settlement of private con- troYersies; perhaps because all the perfections of nature teach us that they are the product of processes which have eliminated waste and sub stituted constructive for destructive principles. ...-.
 When a permanent military policy therefore, comes to be adopted, it will doubtless be conceived in a spirit which will be adequate to preserve against any possible attack those vii tai principles of liberty upon which democratic institutions are based, and yet be so restrained as in no event to foster the growth of mere militarist ambitions or to excite the apprehen- sion of nations with whom it is our first desire to live in harmonious and just accord"
 As to the Expeditionary Force in France, Secretary Baker says 1t would be unWise to disclose details and there fore contents himself with telling of the sending of General Pershing, fol- lowed by a full division of regular troops and contingent of Marines as the first units. He describes also  tional Guard division (The FortySec- ond), adding:
 '"The purpose of this organization was to distribute the honor of early participation in the war over wide area and thus to satisfy in some part the eagerness of these state forces to be permitted to serve in Europe" High tribute is paid to the splendid corporation of the Navy, by means of which these expeditionary forces have been safely transported and have been enabled to traverse without loss the so-called danger zone infested by the stealthy and destructive submar- inc navy of the enemy" .s | It became necessary, Baker says, to build up an elaborate transport system for the expeditionary force with great terminal facilities both in this country and in France and to gather a large surplus of supplies on the other side as a safeguard.
 Il This placed an added burden upon l the supply divisions of the depart ment," he says, land explains in part some of the shortages, notably those of clothing, which have temporarily embarrassed mobilization of troops at home, endorsements now happily passed.'
 The arrangements made have re- suited, MT. Baker continues, "in the transporting of an army to France full ly equipped, with adequate reserves of equipment and subsistence, and with those large quantities of trans portation appliances. motor vehicles. railroad construction supplies and animals, all of which are necessary for the maintenance of effective op- erations of the force"
 Secretary Baker opens his report with a review of the situation in Mex ico which led up to the withdrawal of General Persh1ngs column, and pays high compliment to the self restraint and consideration of the American of ficers and soldiers both on the border and in Mexico.
 Taking up the war with Germany Secretary Baker describes a fine spir- 1t of service shown by the American people Twithout distinction of age, sex or occupation"
 Those who believed" he adds, that the obvious and daily exhibition of power which takes place in an au- tocracy is necessary for national strength, discovered that finer, and freer. and greater national strength subsists in a free people, and that the silent processes of democracy, with their normal accent on the freedom of individuals, nevertheless afford springs of collective action and fnspir- ation for elf-sacrifice as wide and ef- fective as they are spontaneous" MT. Baker then turns to the meth cd by which the army was placed on war footing. He shows that under its full authorized strength the regu- lar army includes 1S,oo0 officers and 470, ,000 men and that the war strength contemplated by the national defense act for the national guard was 13,0oO officers and 456, ,000 men. With the ! million additional troops of the select ed draft army added, these figures furnish the army of 100000 men up- on which all original war estimates were based.
 The Secretary describes the drafting of the National Guard which he says responded with zeal and enthusiasm to the call. He describes also the ex- pansion of the regular army and re- Z views the reasons which prompted the government to go to selective con- scription for the remainder of its J forces.