The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-12-15
AMERICAS FAST
GROWING ARMY
Secretary Baker Reveals a Part of
What His Department is Doing
in the World Struggle
ASSOCIATED Press)


Bakers annual report for the war
department made public yesterday
constitutes only brief historical re-
view of the year, and so that it may
be devoid of information for the en-
emy shows no recommendations no
detailed information of the transpor-
tation of the army to France or any
army plans for the future.
Secretary Baker does say, however,
that he does not favor universal mill
tary training as a regular national
policy.
"The department has not sought
and does not now seek legislation OF.
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-perhap
because we are encouraged by the
analogous substitution of courts for
force in the settlement of private con-
troversies; perhaps because all the
perfections of nature teach US that
they are the product of processes
which have eliminated waste and SUBJ
stituted constructive principles for de-
structive principles.
"When 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
vital principles of liberty upon which
democratic institutions are based, and
yet be so restrained as in no event
to foster the growth of mere mill
tarist ambitions or to excite the ap-
prehension of nations with whom it
is our first desire to live in harmon
ious and just accord"
AS to the expeditionary force ia
France, Secretary Baker says it
would be unwise to disclose details
and therefore contents himself with
telling of the sending of General
Pershing, followed with a full divis-
ion of regular troops and contin-
gent of marines as the first units. He
describes also the organization of
the Rainbow National Guard divis-
ion, the forty-second, 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 'splen'
did cooperation 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 de-
structive submarine navy of the en-
emy."
1t became necessary, Mr.. Baker
says, to build up an elaborate trans
port system for the expeditionary
force with great terminal facilities
both in this country and in France,
and to gather large surplus of sup
plies on the other side as safeguard.
'sThis placed an added burden upon
the supply divisions of the depart
ment," he says, "and explains in part
some of the shortages, notably those
of clothing, which have temporarily
embarrassed mobilization of troops
at home, embarrassments now hap
PLY passed"
The arrangements made have re-
suited, Mr. Baker continues, SIN the
transporting of an army to France
fully 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