The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-01-28
IMPATIENCE HE
SAYS PROMPTS
Y 0PP0SI TI0N
Chamberlain Speech He Says
Gives A Disproportionate
( 4, Aspect to Situation
WON'T DENY Deg FA1sEHooD
Department Has Not Fallen
Down On Job
WONT DENY .FA1sEHooD
HIS ANSWER

du tTOOpS III rrduC0 early luIS
y"ar ann a million and a half in
all available, fully equipped and
with artillery support them, was
the answer Secretary Baker to-
day gave the Senate Military
committee to the charge Of inef-
ficiency and breakdown in the
military establishment, when he
disclosed what hitherto had been
guarded as military secret, and
what German people little sus-
pected
Washington, Jan 28.-Secretary Ba
ker today 'eplied to Senator Chamber
lain's charges of inefficiency in the
war department at a public hearing
before the senate military committee
The secretary began by making YER
bal statement without manuscript.
Mr.. Baker said his statement was
not exactly supplementary to his re
cent one to the committee, but a com
prehensiye statement of activities OF
all the armies in the war, and reply
to the charge that the war depart
ment had fallen down.
Major General Wood, Mr.. Baker
said, recommended calling out large
army, although the men could not be
provided at once with rifles and cloth"
ing Every soldier, however, who
needs a rifle, has one, the secretary
said, and of a better type than If the
English Enfield rifle had been
adopted. H. =
Defending the lack of Lewis machine
guns: Secretary .Eaker reiterated that
General Pershing does not want Lewis
guns for the ground forces but only
for the aviation. ~ ~
At the outset, the secretary said he
thought much criticism came from
impatience Of the American people ito
do this great thing greatly"
He conceded freely that in so great
enterprises, It was impossible that
there should not be delays and short
comings.". The confidence of the coun-
try. however, he said, was necessary
to the tremendous effort. T. =.
=. = Cites speech. ,
The mistakes cited in Senator
Chamberlain's speech, Secretary Ba-
ker declared. gave disproportionate
aspect. Without intent, he said, the
effect of the senator's speech, was to
give the country the impression that
the deficiencies "were characteristic"
rather than Occasional
He said he was not there to defend
individuals and deny delays and false
starts. -'E - '-
'But l think can say in confidence
that In them we have sought the rem
edy."
That there are more than q million
men under arms In this country was
stated by Secretary Baker in referring
to the cases Of alleged neglect of the
dead In camps cited by Senator Cham
berlain.
For one reason or another, the i'm.
pressions gone out into the country
to some extent that the war depart
lent has fallen down in the conduct
of the war. want to address my.
self to that question:
Spirit Of Officers.
Describing the spirit of army Off.
GERS, secretary Baker said, he had
seen strong, grizzled men turn away
from his desk in tears when they had
found that they could not 60 to
France, but must remain in Washing.
ton to press forward war prepara-
.tions. There was no case of any
ofdcer who has not accepted his duty
with his whole heart.
Men of high places in civil life
throughout the country he said, had
come to Washington to accept sal
aries of office boys, many no salaries
at all, to place their experience at the
disposal of the nation.
Gentlemen" said the secretary,
speaking with great emphasis, lit
would .jbe tragic thing if this mo.
mentous effort were to deserve the
comment that 1t had fallen down.
THE tmpatience Of the whole coun.
try to do this thing greatly probably
inspired much of the criticism
I'VE look, back over the past and
see that there have been short com.
ings; that there have been delays.
There are things that could have been
better done. But our effort is to
learn"
II have no purpose to defend individ-
uoAS VI yScu. IL ulScuSS ucIo III
dividuals by name, II l refer to Gener-
al Crozier, or General Sharpe, or my
self, it will only be to make 1t clear.
l am not here to deny shortcomings,
but think can say this: That
where we have found such short-conl-
ings or mistakes, we have made every
effort to correct them. l most earn
estly ask that when you have pointed
out to you any short comings, wheth-
er 1t seems we'll founded or not, that
you instantly refer It to me In order
that the process Of the department
may assist the truth"
From Senator Chamberlain's speech,
Mr.. Baker said it had seemed to him
that although 1t was not the senator 8
purpose to make It SO appear, the
country got an impression from the
failures and delays that made them
"dtsproportionate to what was going
on y s,.
The secretary said there might be
instances Of short cospinSs, but only
'.iustancss." q