Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-12-15
War Secretary's Report Hopes for Future Settle
 ments Without Fopce.
GIVES GERMANS
 NO INFORMATION
Reviews History of War Activities to Date. hut Wakes no Recommends. tiOns for Future of Use
 tO Enemy.

Bakers annual report for the war de- partment, made public today ,consti. tutes only a brief historical review of the year, and so that it may be de- void of information for the enemy shows no recommendations, no de- tailed information of the transporta- tlon of the army into France or any army plans for the future.
 Secretary Baker does say, how ever that he does not favor universal military training as regular na- tional policy.
 "The department has not sought and does not 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 an alogous 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 sub- stitNed constructive for destructive principles.
 When permanent military policy, therefore, comes to be adopted, it will doubtless be conceived in 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 militar- ist ambitions or to excitre the appre- hension 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 it would be unwise to disclose details, and therefore contents himself with tell ing of the sending of General Per shing, followed by full division of regular troops and contingent of marine as the first units. He describes also the organization of the Rainbow National guard division (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"
 Praises Navy.
 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 dastruc- tive submarine navy of the enemy"
 It became necessary. MT. 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.
 "This placed an added burden upon 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, "n 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 an- imals, all of which are necessary for the maintenance of effective opera tions of the force."
 Reviews Mexican Situation.
 Secretary Baker opens his report with a review of the situation in Mex ico which led up to the withdrawal of General Pershing's column. and pays a high compliment to the self re- straint and consideration of the American officers and soldiers, both on the border and in Mexico
 Taking up the war with Germany, Secretary Baker, describes fine spir- it of service shown by the American people "without distinction of age, sex or occupation"
 "Those who believed" he adds, "that the obvious and daily exhibi- tion of power which takes place in an autocracy is necessary for national strength, discovered 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 in- spiration for self sacrifice as wide and effective as they are spontane- ous."
 Mr. Baker then turns to the meth- cd by which the army was placed on a war footing. He shows that under it's full authorized strength the regu- lar army includes iS,000 officers and 470,00O men, and that the war strength contemplated by the national