The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-28

llayed calling out certain sections OF
drafted men to allow fuller prepare
'tion.
"The temporary shortages have
been for the most part remedied."
Baker paid high tribute to the re-
Spouse labor made in getting the army
clothed properly and promptly.
1--WE haven't the last button on, but
every man in sixteen national guards
and sixteen national army camps is
ready to go to France the moment ne
is needed" said Baker.
| Ready for France.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2s.-Deciaf-
ing that every man in thirty-two ma
tional guard and national army camps
Is ready now to be sent to France
whenever needed" Secretary OF war
Baker today struck back at critics
Of the war department.. ),
! In a sweeping statement delivered
before the senate military committee,
Baker showed the great steps this
government has taken-some OF them
necessarily sudden and hence with
out sufficient preparation-to win the
war In reply to those who nave
Ecritisized the war government, he de-
clared:
| THAT laxity in the medical service
at camps will not be tolerated.
| Three officers have been courtmar-
tailed and dismissed from the army
because of negligence in attending
1 General Pershil.,s !llHss seE~sSsssa t.
I,adoption Of the modified Enfield
rifle.
A great army was called out before
! guns were -eAGi- 80. Ir'~1lsl'9n ~
! earnest L es-sclne ndation OF MAJOR
| General Leonard Wood.
| Wood declared that the men would
first need other training besides that
in the use of guns.
| Every man in France has his own
| gun and was trained to use It,
| Many times as many men are now
| in France as had been originally
planned for this date.
! General Pershing himself decided
against the Lewis machine gun for
land work.
| On November 20 one hundred and
| forty machine guns were sent TO
each training camp.
| Every man in the thirty-two train
| ing camps is now ready for service
fin France.
| Our army in France-now large
| and it will be much larger-will have
/ the type of artillery it wants and
needs
| Three hundred 8 inch anti aircraft
guns will be turned out monthly In
this country before another year.
| Official reports based on careful
information show that camp hospitals
| in many cases are the equal OF civil
ian hospitals and all are in splendid
shape.
Tonnage is the crux of the whole
situation and this country is using
French artillery to save ships for
other supplies.
| The allies urged troops before any
thing else-saytng France and Eng
land could supply US with artillery.
| Baker declafed that the impress
sion has been spread abroad that
the "war department has fallen down
| in the crisis. To correct this impress
sion, he said, 1t was vitality neces-
sary that the country be informed as
to what has been accomplished.
Answer to Critics.
i[By l. C. Martin, United Press Staff
| Correspondent
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 2s.-Secretary
of War Baker went to congress and
the country today with his answer to
|
| Long before 1890 o'clock, the hour
set for Bakers appearance before the
senate military committee, hundreds
of people crowded the corridors out
side the little committee room, hoping
to get in Expectation of hearing
facts about the army mobilization not
yet told the country, drew many sena-
tors and congressman from their Ia
bors elsewhere.
| AS a result Of his dramatic appear
ance before the committee today, one
Of two things will hoppen. Either
Baker will convince and hush the out
break of some in congress against the
| department and the president, or he
will re-awaken the fires which have
died down during the weekend recess.
| Baker hopes his statement will
quiet the congressional clamor for re-
organization Of the war department
and simultaneously reassure the PEG
/ pie of the country now more or less
confused by exaggerated speech on
both sides Of the issue.
His idea is not to defend the de-
partment, but admitting mistakes,
militantly challenge those who would
belittle the job America has done.
| Bakers audience today was limited
| to the m embers of the senate commit
| tee and a few senators and house
members. Representative Lunn, of
the house military committee wrote
Baker that the senate committee was
packed jury" thoroughly unfriend-
| iy to him.
! While Baker was preparing to de-
liver his statement, Senator Cham
berlain was ready formally to report
the war cabinet bill to the senate
where the administration fight to
have It sent to the house naval COM
mittee may be one OF the days de-
Iyelopments.