The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-01-28
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tSentInueo from Pape w.
my subordinates" lie denied any sucl
intention and said when he concluded
IL there was anything else the commit
tee desired to investigate, he would d.
everything possible within HI power tC
= assist without fear or favor aud t
effect any improvement
The secretary said that when he heard
of the two letters read by Senator Cham
berlaiI concerning bad treatment OF
sick soldiers, he immediately asked Mr.
Chamberlain for all the details
Il want to follow those through TO
the very end" said he, "and find on,
WHO is responsible, in order that ! can
punish the guilty"
Although more than lOONm men ar"
under arms in this country the sec
rotary said. the number oi complaints
received have been relatively small
probably not more than eighteen In
each instance, lie said, Investigations
have been made Immediately
Baker Wanted Big Army
Major General Wood, Mr. Baker
said. recommended calling ou' large
army. although the men could not be
provided at once with rifles and rIo'h-
ing
Every soldier who needs a rifle
has one, Secretary Baker said, and
better type than the British En-
field hle had been adopted
Defending the lack of Lewis guns,
Secretary Baker reiterated that
General Pershing does nh want
Lewis guns for the ground forces
but only for aviation.
Rechrlng that hy securing artillery
from France, MIR Baker said 1t also
would save ships
81 am telling mo- secret when ! say
that ships are the CruN OF our prob
len" he aid
Won't Hunt England.
Secretary Baker said all representa-.
tive, and also the war council partlcl'
pants headed by Colonel House, dc
clarcd that securing ordnance iron
England and France will not take sup
plies they need but will help them
The board he added. referring t.
the board he appointed in the fall O
l9l6 to test machine guns. never de
laycd for ono second the procurcmcn
OF additional machine guns
Navy Too.
lie told Of the nayy's test Of th
Lewis gun last April with an arm.
officer present and added
"As result OF that test an i'm
mediate order was given to the
Savage Arms company for Lewis
guns. Large orders for Lewis guns
have been given. We are advised
however, by General Pershing that
he does not desire Lewis guns for
use on land. General Pershing
and his staff desire them only for
aircraft
IN the meantime" said Mr. Baker
"thc French government is able to sup
ply us with light French guns anC
heavy Hotchkiss guns for the troop
that are abroad and that will he sen
for the present
Many Lewis Guns Ordered.
we have ordered all the Lewis gun
we could get and have encouraged th
company TO extend its plant for in
creased production II has not yet be
gun to expand to the extent We woul,
like Our army abroad is provide,
with the guns It has selected as adaptcc
TO its use, and our supply IS to supple
ment that"
Obviously he said, there were not a
many machine guns for camp training
as was TO be desired, but he read tAbl,
showing that on November ! eacl
camp or cantCnment had been shippcc
thirty Colt, sixty-iiye Lewis and forty
five Chauchat guns and, in addition
each regular cavalry regiment had beer
supplied With ten Lewis guns and eac'
infantry regiment with ten Chauchat
Guns Sent Before Troops Ready.
Practically all OF these were shippcO
before the troops were ready for them
that is, before November " Mr. Bake
said
Some reports the secretary said hay
not proved serious upon inquiry, Will
others had, in which case correction
followed.
Followed British Method.
"ln the case OF the body OF an office
who died at an aviation training schoD
being shipped home in a sheet" Secrc
tary Baker said. Enquiry devclope
that the camp was in charge Of
British aviation officer who iollowe
The British method Of sending bod,
home unolo,hcd the mans clothes b,
ing, shipped IN a separate parcel
An American officer was pu,
charge he said
Another complaint oi neglect N
patient at Camp Wheeler he said d
vclopcd that /, was mu,tii.cd. and =
sutlnr from the distress lmaQlua,iJ
OF the widow"
There still are in the hands of
the inspector general nine cases be
ing Investigated Nj. Baker told
Of Investigations which resulted in
discharge OF Lieutenant Charles W
Cole and Lieutenant John G. DYE
for neglect Of patients as published
in the newspapers Saturday and
Sunday The Judge advocate gen.
etal advised adding prison sen.
tence to the dismissal and that is
being considered.
THE department sets It's face agair
that sort OF callous disregard OF 81
ders' health" Secretary Baker Sa
81 want doctors and the country
knsv that their lives and welfare I
responsibility which will not PER-
to be dodged or handled in a cayal