Evening star., 1918-01-28
AMERICAN SOLDIERS, 80
DIVISIONS OF THEM, READY
TO GIVE BOCHES BATTLE
Continued from First paEe)


I was fencing in defense of some of
my subordinatea." He denied any such
intention and said when he concluded
II there was anything else the commit
tee desired to investigate he would do
everything possible within. his power
to assist without fear or favor" and
to effect any improvement.
The Secretary said that when he
heard Of tho two letters read by Sem
ator Chamberlain concerning bad treat
ment Of sick soldiers he Immediately
asked Mr.. Chamberlain for all the de-
tails.
II want to follow those through to the
very end" said he. land dnd out who
is responsible in order that can punish
the guilty
Although more than one million men
are under arms in this country, Mr..
Baker said. the number of complaints
probably not more than eighteen In
each instance, he said Investigate tions
have been Immediately made.
Some Reports Not Proven Serious.
Some reports the Secretary said
have not proved serious upon inquiry,
while others had, in. which case cor
rections followed:
In the case of the body of an officer
who died at an aviation training
school being sent home in a sheet. Sec
retary Baker said. inquiry developed
tsat the camp was in charge Of Brit
ish aviation officer. who followed the
British method of sending hodies home
lunclothed. the mans clothes being
shipped In a separate parcel. An Amer
ican officer was then put in charge.
Another complaint of neglect of ,
patient at Camp Wheeler, he said. de-
;veloped that it was unjustif1ed and re-
sulting from the distressed imagina-
ton Of the widow
Officers Discharged for Neglect.
There still are in the hands of the in
spector general nine cases being in
vestigated- Mr. Baker told of in
,vestigations which resulted in discharge
|of Lieut.. Charles W. Cole and I,ient
John G. Dye for neglect of patients. as
published in the newspapers Saturday
and Sunday. The judge advocate gen
eral advised adding a prison sentence
Ito the dismissal and that is being con-
sidered.
The department sets it's face against
mat sort OF callous disregard of SOL
diers' health Secretary Baker said. II
want the doctors and the country to
know that their lives and welfare are a
responsibility which l will not permit
to be lodged or handled in a cavalier
fashion"
While camp commanders are held re-
sponsible for health conditions, Secre-
tary Baker said. the surgeon generals
Office has daily inspections, and he has
appointed DIR. John A. Hornsby. a hos
pital expert. as his personal inspector.
A telegram from DR.. Hornsby. regard
ing camp conditions Senator Chamber
I lain assailed. declared them greatly
improved, with mortality reduced and
ample accommodations for all sick"
Letter From Mary Roberts Rinehart.
Secretary Baker read a letter from
Mrs Mary Roberts Rineharr tho u-r;+.
who has a son in the service commend
ing hospital conditions she recently in
spected. Mrs. Rinehart said she was
impressed by Senator Chamberlain's
J tragic letters"
But feel the mothers Of the country
should know" wrote Mrs Rinehart,
that the number OF such cases is
small 1t is cruel to allow every moth
er to judge the Medical Corps because
here and there men are unwilling or
unable to give the care that is their duty.
There are conditions to be remedied The
/ shortage of woman nurses is serious
But Of cruelty and indifference ] have
found nothing. Ninety-nine out of
than they could afford at home"
And i wish to point out further"
added Secretary Baker. that the very
heads Of the medical profession, the
stant touch with the surgeon general"
No army could be raised in any coun-
try, the Secretary commended without
danger from communicable diseases
All that couiu be done was to provide
every means OF science to meet that
danger That he insisted was being
done. s..
Reply to Ordnance Bureau Attack.
Taking up Senator chamberlain's attack
snat I'm mems minds difrered about the tsnss snea
OF ktlnS to be. used and about the utiai1.