Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-15

I He describes also the organization OF the
Rainbow National Guard division. CIhe
Forty adding
.The purpose of this organization was
| TO distribute the honor of early particl-
nation in the war over wide area ana
thus to satisfy in some part the eager
ness 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 steal
| thy and destructive submarine navy of
the enemy"
| 1t became necessary. Mr.. baker says,
to build up an elaborate transport sys-
tenn for the expediuonary 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 safeguard.
''This placed an added burden upon the
supply divisions Of the department" he
says, land explains in part some Of the
shortages, notably those Of clothing,
which have temporarily embarrassed mo-
bilization Of troops at home, embarrass-
ments now happily passed"
The arrangements made have resulted,
Mr. Baker continues, Tin the transport
ing OF an army TO France fully equipped,
with adequate reserves Of equipment and
subsistence, and with those large quaint
ties Of transportation appliances, motor
Vehicles, railroad construction supplies and
animals, all OF which are necessary for
the maintenance of effective operations
of the force"
Secretary Baker opens his report with
a review Of the situation in Mexico which
led up to the withdrawal Of General
Pershing's column, and pays high COM
pliment to the self restraint and consid
Grafton of the American officers and SOL
ders both on the border and in Mexico
Taking up the war with Germany Sec
rotary Baker describes a fine spirit Of
service shown by the American people
without distinction of age, sex or occu-
patton"
Those who believed he adds. that
the obvious and daily exhibition of pow
er which takes place in an autocracy is
necessary for national strength, discov-
cred that finer, and freer, and greater
national strength subsists in 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 inspiration for
self-sacrifce as wide and effective as they
are spontaneous
Mr.. Baker then turns to the method by
which the army was placed on a war
footing. He shows that under it's full au-
thorized strength the regular army In
cludes 1900 officers and 10000 men and
that the war strength contemplated by
The national defense act for the national
guard was 1900 officers and $4,000 men.
With the million additional troops Of the
selected draft army added, these figures
furnish the army OF 100000 men upon
which all original war estimates were
based.
The secretary describes the drafting Of
the National Guard which he says re-
sponded with zeal and enthusiasm to
the CALL He describes also the expansion
Of the regular army and reviews the rea-
sons which prompted the government to
go to selective CONSUMPTION for the re-
mainder of its forces.
The report then touches briefly upon the
officers training camps. the construction