The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-02-06

My military associates thought
u best not To dlvuigo this informa.
lion said BAKER. because IL might
invite campaign ~ sabotage. our
contracts were not secret. Tho only
ln,nx wc prevented was publishing
% the Information
"'Ssg the usi was published IN
the official government bulletin,
commented Weeks. when tho fuel
order ~as issued think tina, high
~ improper
Clothing Warm Enough
flakrr reiterated under question.
Ing that there Ia not now a single
soldier In a single camp who IN not
adequately supplied with sufficient
clothing 10 keep him warm"
There In some lack of wooden uni,
form coats yet. Baker admitted
Senator New read letter saying
at Fort BENJAMIN Harrison there
was n large over supply Of shoes.
but woolcn uniforms we're $50 short.
and with shipments In transit there
would be only enough for one suit
per man
Defends stettinius
Members headed by wadHworth
here turned 90 Bakers appointment
% =. Il Stettiniua m surveyor Of
supplies They tried 20 get the sec
Rotary to admit stettiaIus' position
10 purely advisory"
Baker rctortcd II was no, fair" to
say IL was only advisory because
Stcttinius. with Bakers consent.
has full power 20 coordinate pro
duction and distribution Of army
supplies"
Qucrled by Weeks as TO his atti-
tude on the proposed munitions min.
istry. Baker thought IL would bc
exceedingly unwise" TO destroy the
elaborate organizations built up by
the several separate war branches.
In favor OF n central munitions post
The war Industries board. he said.
supplies necdful co-ordinating
body"
Senator Mcclellan objected that
the war inquiries board IL purely adj
visory and IL without legal author.
ity to enforce what its best judg.
ment dictates
a strong move to throw tho hear
inRs into executive session developed
at the outset OF the hearing.
Reed and Kirby demanded that
confidential data. which the commit.
tee wants. should be given In secret
session.
soon after 10 O'Clock the commit.
tee room was crowded. a majority
OF the audience being women.
Opposes Secret Session
Senator Hitchcock objected TO the
secret session. saying II was only
fair TO the secretary and TO the pub
lie and 10 the country that Bakers
answers TO our searching questions"
be spread broadcast.
Baker supported the secret session.
declaring the misfortune 81 my
first appcarance-if " can be- termed
misfortune lay largely in the fact
that | attempted 10 give general
perspective Of the whole field OF wax
work without supporting II with
specific figures I think these should
be given To the committee only In
executive session"
Committee members then launched
into discu ssion OF American shipping
resources
Dispute Over Ships
Weeks attempted TO draw from
Baker figures as TO the tonnage
now at the disposal Of the war
department for troop and supply
transport. Baker did not have this
Information. he said. hut "can give
It to the senator later"
IT understand the department
has 79i 900 tons" said Weeks.
II think that II Understanding
H." replied Baker
Hitchcock here interpreted That
his information was that the United
States had only 100000 tons Of
shipping In all. but Baker did not
comment.
Hitchcock pressed his question.
asking the secretary what basis
he had for believing the depart
mont could transport 100000 men
10 France during 1918,
Baker said he meant there would
actually be at least 500, 600 men In
France carly this year. and 100000
more during the year II shipping
is available.