Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-11
BAKER SAYS ARMY
DELAY WAS PROPER
Continued From Page ~

pick out any particular place."
Senator Weeks asked if all avail
able ammunition production facilities
are being used.
mo. not ALL" said Secretary Baker
"but all will be when we need them"
"PM UP TO DATE"
When Senator Weeks again asked
if the secretary could-suggest any
thing that would be helpful in speed
ing up ordnance production, Secretary
Baker replied:
IT can't think of anything that your
work will help. Whenever I've thought
of anythingA I've done it. I'm up to
date now"
Secretary Baker said he thought a
federal powder plant advisable
Senator Chamberlain referred to the
Du Pont offer to build and operate a
plant at cost, but Secretary Baker ex-
planned the offer was to build a plant
for commission of rs per cent and
operate it for eighteen months. On
the basis of a $9O,0O0,0O0 investment,
he explained, the Du Points would have
made a gross profit of between $780,
000. 900 and s40,00OO0O.
uC piSoCuI pOWOSl Supply 10
adequate for our present needs" Sec
rotary Baker said.
GOOD WORD FOR cRoZIER.
Senator New asked if there was any
mistake of judgment when the Lusi-
tania was sunk in not beginning
preparations for war.
1T would have been very wise" Mr..
Baker replied, IF dozen years ago
the ordnance department had begun
preparations. To be perfectly frank
with you, think General Crozier is
not entirely to blame. In season and
out he has recommended ordnance ex-
pansion."
Secretary Baker denied that the
first American contingents sent
abroad were not completely equipped
All sent then and since, he declared,
have had adequate standard equip
depend for automatic rifles and artil.
lery on French sources.
WAR BETWEEN INDUSTRIES.
Secretary Baker assented to SEN
ator Wadsworth's statement that the
war was a competition of industries,
and that whichever produced the
most materials and men would wear
out the opposition.
THAT is the present aspect of it,
he said.
FULL POWER AVAILABLE.
IT state the foregoing conditions of
the war departments problems and
some of the results attained, for two
purposes" the secretary said in his
etc IN, fy-f nj
the American people are entitled to
with which they have been able to or
ganize the man power and the material
power of the naticn in a great cause;
and second, our army in France under
General Pershing and our allies are
entitled to have the benefit resulting
from the depression of the morale of
their enemies which must come when
the Germans realize that the American
democracy neither has blundered nor
hesitated but actually brought the full
power of it's men and resources into
completely organized strength against
their military machine.
WORLDS. RECORDS BROKEN.
mo army of similar size in the his
tory of the world ever has been raised,
equipped or trained so quickly. No
such provision ever has been made
for the comfort, health and general
well-being of an army.
"By the cooperation of all interests
and all people in the country the ma
ton is now organized and set to its
task with unanimity of spirit and con-
fidence in its powers. More has been
done than anybody dared to believe
possible. That there have been, here
and there, errors of Judgment and de.
lays, goes without saying; bNt should
be wanting in frankness were to omit
my own estimate of the real unselfish-
ness and intelligence with which my
associates, military and civilian, have