Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-10
Says Substantial Army
Equipped and Trained
Is in France.
OUR MOBILIZATION
RECORD UNEQUALED
Million and Half Men Already Armed
and Practically Equipped and Sup
piled and Guns Are on Hand For Men
to Be Included In Next CaIl-Sub-
sistenee Above Criticism, Baker
Avers-sharpIy Questioned.

Baker today replied to criticism Of his
departments conduct Of the war in a
long and exhaustive prepared state
ment presented to the senate military
committee. Conceding delays and er-
rors Of judgment in SO vast an unoer-
taking, Secretary Baker epitomizeo
his reply in these words:
mo army Of similar size in the his
tory Of the world has ever been raised
equipped or trained so quickly. NO
such provision has ever been made Tor
the comfort, health and general we'll
being Of an army"
Substantial Army in France.
America now has in France an army
OF "substantial SIZE" ready for active
service, Secretary Baker said.
OFFICERS and men, he explained In q
statement OF the mobilization accom-
plishments, have been trained espec-
jally for modern warfare. Independent
Of communication and supply are
kncess Of construction. and great
rs have been formulated for the
sisfcfion OF new instruments OF war.
Sangements of the most modern
and effective kind, the secretary de-
clared, have been provided for every
soldier in France and are available Ior
every fighting man who can be sent to
France in 1918.
An army Of nearly 100000 men en-
listed and selected without serious dis
location of the nations Industries IS
now in the field or in training, at home
land abroad. he asserted.
'35 Subsistence Above Criticism.
The subsistence Of the army, he con-
tinued, has been above criticism, while
its initial clothing supply, temporarily
inadequate, is now substantially COM
plete.
II state the foregoing conditions OF
the war departments problem ano
some Of the results attained FOR two
purposes" he said. In the first place
the American people are entitled to
know Of the <plendid effectiveness with
which they have been able to organize
the man power and the material power
OF the great nation in a great cause.
Second. our army in France, and our
allies, are entitled to have the benefit
resulting in the depression Of the enc
my which must come when dt realizes
that the American democracy has
neither blundered nor hesitated."
Outlines Work.
The secretary continued:
"By the cooperation o: all interests
and all people in the country the ma
tion is now organized and set to its
1P oniYit and .
fidence in it's power"
The secretary gave the committee an
outline Of the departments work.
"on April I, 1917, the regular army
he said, .comprised 5,791 officers and
121.797 enlisted men; the national
suard in federal service approximately
3.733 officers and 1918 enlisted men,
and the reserves 1900 enlisted men,
There were also at that time approx
mately 2,573 officers in the reserve. On
the 31st day. Of December, 1917, the
regular army consisted Of f0.250 off,
GERS and 475,000 enlisted men: the ma
tional guard Of 16,031 officers and 475,-
900 enlisted men,; the national guard OF
6.031 officers and 100000 enlisted
men: the national army of 100000 men
ana the reserve Of s4,575 officers and
~. $50 enlisted men. In other words, In
nine months the increase has been
from 1884 officers to 110,So6 officers
and from 2o2,b10 to 1,42s,65o men,"
..For the training OF these soldiers
sixteen cantonments have been built
costing 3134,0oo,oo0, with an average
profit to the contractors Of 2.9S per
cent.
Death Rate Less Than at Home.
.sThe death rate in our forces IN
the United tSates from mid-Septem-
her to the end of December averaged
rs per thousand, and is slightly less
than would have been the death rate
Of men Of the same age at home. In
1915 the death rate per thousand was
was 2o.14 or nearly three times as
great" IA
The secretary discussed the strength
81 the ordnance and quartermaster's
departments and continued:
S .The aviation section Of the sigma
corps on the first day Of April, 1917
consisted OF sixty-five officers ane
LEO men. On the first day OF Jan
uary, 1918, 1t consisted of $500 Officers
i ana s2,120 men"
Chief Accomplishments.
IN summing up the department.
work the secretary gave the following
as its chief accomplishments:
large army is in the fielt
ana n training: 90 large that further
increments g 5it can bs N sidsd sslis