The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-06
Inquire Into Bakers "MilliOn
More Men" Statement.
Senators Put War Secretary
Under Cross Examination.
SQUABBLE OVER SECRECY
Will Furnish Precise Statement
for Executive Session.
Declares at Was Misfortune
for Me To Have Said It."

Washington, Feb. 6-Secretary
Baker came up for cross examination
today before the senate military com
mittee on his picture of the state of
preparedness of the army, which con-
gressional critics have attacked as
grossly exaggerated
But the principal point of the whole
controversy-the question of where
the army is going to get ships to trans
port million men to France this
year-was left untouched, partly be-
cause Mr.. Baker did not have detailed
figures to show the committee on what
basis he had made his assertion, and
partly because the committee got into
a squabble over whether it would be
proper to have the secretary of war
disclose the figures in public.
The upshot of it was that the ques-
ton of ships was left to be presented
in detailed, exact statement to the
committee in secret session tomorrow.
and the cross-examination went on to
other subjects of a general nature.
To Use Other Than U. S. Ships.
Senator Hitchcock, who has at
tackled particularly the secretary of
wars statement that the United States
could put million men in France this
year-in addition to 100000 there
early this spring-was insistent that
Mr.. Baker should show the committee
what grounds he had for believing
there were ships available for their
1 transport and supply.
| Secretary Baker replied he did not
have the exact figures in his mind, but
| that his statement was made on fig
ures which had been prepared by ex-
perts who took in the information at
the disposal of the shipping board as
well as what ships might be available
| nc nd he
secretary made plain that he was not
counting wholly on American ships to
| transport troops. Secretary Baker did
say. however, that probably the form
| of his original statement to the COM
mittee which has been made the basis
of attack, was unfortunate in that it
| expressed his general opinion of a
/, broad situation rather than the exact
| statement of experts dealing in de-
| tails.
| Gave Opinion Instead of Facts.
THE misfortune for me. if I may
| call it SUCH" said Mr.. Baker, LAY in
the fact that l attempted to give opin-
ions of the broad general situation as
| saw it when the information lay in
| details that ought to have been gotten
| from experts in direct charge, or in
statistics, giving specific facts. 1 was
| attempting a general survey. 1t was a
| misfortune for me to do that
| An estimate of 791, 900 tons of ships
| available for transport on February
1, the secretary said, he had thought
was small rather than too large.
| The shipping board, Senator Hitch
cock said, had advised him that on
November / there were available 582
American ships. all of more than 1,500
| tons each, including tank ships and
| the German and Austrian ships taken
| over.
! Mr.. Baker did not know how many
| hat would
| transport, but promised to inform the
committee later.
| Reorganization Plan Under Way.
| AS the cross examination turned to
] the question of supplies for the army
! it became apparent from the nature of
Secretary Bakers replies to questions
| that he and President Wilson had been
discussing some form of further re-
organization of the war department
which they hoped would satisfy those
who are pressing the bill for a direc-
| tor of munitions. 1t was introduced
earlier in the day. also, in other Off
| cia1 quarters that the president and
the secretary of war hoped by a fur
| ther move to meet the demand for
! the bill.
II have a feeling" Mr.. Baker said,
in reply to Senator Wadsworth that
leg. station that would free the presi-
dents hands and allow him to trans
| fer functions and coordinate the
needs of the departments as they arise
would be the best answer to the diff
| ficulties. All departments are con-
stantly growing.
| Il am, as you know, continually
kcreating new agencies and sometimes
when in doubt have to study the stat
utes carefully how far my authority
goes. If the president were simply
authorized to reorganize, reco-ordinate
and transfer functions as he sees fit
we could go to him and secure the
necessary orders as were deemed de-
! sira BILE"
Senator Wadsworth said he referred
particularly to statutes placing in
Vulnerable checks and balances or
expenditures OF army funds.
Delays i'm Paying Soldiers.
1T might perhaps, be WISE" Sec
retary Baker continued, during the
period of the war to authorize the
president to suspend any restrictive
statute that might be found to impede
efficiency. I'm not sure that it is wise
not to have these checks and counter.
balances We are spending very large
amounts of money and it seems to be
wise to check expenditures very care
fully
Senator Wadsworth cited delays il
paying troops and Secretary Bakel
said that that was a disappearing
diminishing difficulty"
Questioned as to delay in payment.
to the families of soldiers, Mr.. Bake
said indefinite addresses of depend
ents, left. by the soldiers, frequentl,
accounting for liberty bond payments
/ frayr