Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-07

nlcntS, ana the committee is entitled to
! that"
Secretary Baker proposed 70 have
detailed statements OF information pre-.
pared 1T the department and submit
! tod to the committee. and then " tho
. committee desired TO ctoss- examine
him later regarding tho statements ho
would be glad to return.
Senator Hitchcock asked II the sec
| rotary would object to giving the com.
mittee the basis for his opinion that
/ France before fall.
| Not in the least" said Mr. Baker.
II could have tho committee 20 into
tho adjoining room and givo Il to you
! in three sentences"
Senator Hitchcock thought the in
I formation should be given tho same
publicity as his first statement.
| Baker said have been exceedingly
light. THE service the navy has rem
dered in the protection Of the nrmy.'.
no said. has been unexampisd."
BAKER CONSIDERS SHIPPING
THE CONTROLLING fACTort
The secretary conveyed ia the coun-
try" said Senator Hitchcock. the in
| formation that I think was very un.
fortunate. Did you consider shippinr
an Important factorc"
| Very important - controlling" Mr.
Baker replied. II was not relying
wholly on the supply of American ship.
ping
| Senator Hitchcock asked how many
tons Of American shipping could be de.
pended on. and Secretary Baker said
he could not give the informu tlon. TIL.
Nebraska Senator said he secured from
| the Shipping Board statement OF
available American tonnage on Soycm.
Der 80 that there were $50 ships OF
3,72l.s08 deadweight tons. including
tankers and fomer German and Aus
TRAN ships. all over 1900 tons.
! That was the grand total at tho dis.
posal OF the United States" said Sen.
ator Hitchcock. adding that, excluding
passenger ships, tankets and other nom
cargo-ca frying ships only about 400, :
600 toms was available for supply and
transportation OF troops
| Senator Hitchcock asked Secretary
Baker II that statement confotmed to
his information, and the secretary said
| he could not remember.
III that statement is correct, how
many troops can we supply in Europe ?"
| persisted Senator Hitchcock
"f can't answer that" said secre-
tary Baker. 1T would depend on the
basis OF calculation"
Senator Hitchcock said he understood
that basis was five tons per man. SEN
ator Weeks said he thought It WAS
nifty pounds per man per day.
Senator Beckham Interrupted. pro-
testing against efforts TO drag out Of
the secretary indirectly, by probing
! questions. Information which would be
Of value to the enemy"
! Senator Hitchcock said lie did not
wish to be misunderstood. but only de-
| sired 10 find the basis OF MI Bakers
assurance to the country" that 1900
coo men could be ira nsported to France
! during 1915.
You said you expected to have 1,ooo,-
600 men In France in 1918. Now, how
would you supply them?" lie continued.
READS ORIGINAL STATEMENT
TO SUBSTANTIATE POSITION
Mr. Baker read from his original
statement that he had said million
for shipment in 1918. and that the
l
unpromising."
why do YOU think it is not unprom-
ising?" insisted Senator Hitchcock.
| Secretary Baker replied that esti-
mates made as to available tonnage In
dicated the possibility.
When he had made the statement.
Secretary Baker added there was in
his mind the conclusions OF the Ship
ping Board as TO what tonnage II could
produce in 1918. There were other fac
tors as TO shipping, he added. such as
vessels in nonessential trades or on
domestic routes, which might be re-
leased by sailing ships or neutral tom
! mage.
Il am asking you for the basis OF
your assurance to the country that the
prospect was not unpromising that we
would have Il million men in France in
1918" persisted Senator Hitchcock.
Il am anxious 10 tell you what IL
in my mind" answered Secretary Baker,
nsking again that he BE permitted to
explain his statement as far ms possi-
BILE without disclosing military irfofs
nation.
Before General Bliss went to Europe
he said the subject was discussed Will,
members of the Shipping BOARD and
others as TO the extent TO which the
| Emergency Fleet Corporation would
supplement the existing tonnage" and
! the extent that tonnage then available
TO America would not TO be suppieme mt =:
ed by international arrangement IN orr
der to carry out the allied program
Secretary Baker said liz did not per-
! sonally determine the question: hut
that II was done by General fslIss and
others.
FURNISH DEFINITE FACTa
IN EXECUTIVE Si1ssqON
! Upon Senator weekSs suggestion,
the committee dropped the shipping
! question until the Secretary could get
! information from his department. to
properly answer tho Questions: This
will he furnished to ire committee in
! executive session
! Senator Kirby wanted to adjourn un
I'll Tomorrow. when in executive ses
sion would be held, but other Sch
ators objected, and Ire exa,,,it,a .ion
went on.
Senator Weeks then asked II secre:
larry Baker knew how many pairs oil
shoes were required per man In the
| French and English armies Mr. tts