The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-04
AMERICAS RECORD
N WAR IS ONE Of
BIG ACHIEVEMENT
Baker Tells Committee
How Army Has
Increased.
HAS 100000 MEN
Great Decrease in lntoxi-
cation Among Those
in French Train
ing Camps.
AIR CRAFT PROGRESS
Planes Produced During June
More Than Ever--Death
Rate From Disease IS
Much Lower Than
Heretofore, 3.l6.
(By Universal ScrN iCc J


Washington. July 3--A record OF
marvellous hicvemcnt l. the report
OF Secretary Baker OF what has pech
done of the war department. In the
fourteen months OF Americas partiCi-
patton In the war. The report was
sent to the ho.se military affairs COM
niittee today.
Secretary Baker tells In most
comprehensive way how the army has
( fssen raised 10 more than 100000
enlisted men, how they have been
armed and equipped, aud how the l.
600, 900 now In France have been sup
piled with everything essential 20
make great army effective. He re-
views the production of aircraft, ma
chine guns, heavy artillery and am
minition and reports satisfactory
progress In all these branches of the
war department work.
The decrease in intoxication among
the men in the training camps and III
France, the high morale of the men
At the front and their cagernc~s To M
in the thick of the fiEhting are all
told OF In tho report. The secretary
relates how Ii was found necessary to
change the name of thu zone behind
thu lines from the service of the rear
to service of supply" because none
OF the men was willing 10 serve in
any region where safety was implied
by the term rear" He also tells how
the American soldiers have changed
the title OF NO Mans Land 10
"Yankee Land"
Among important features of Sec
rotary Bakers review of the war de-
partment's accomplishments are tho
following:
Increased to 100000 Men.
hus srr sod in strength
to 10000 officers and 100000 en-
listed men, of whom practically loPV'-
600 are in France.
Aircraft production ia progressing
satisfactorily. the average weekly pro
duction of advanced training planes
having increased during June 10 ~.
Combat planes are being produced AT
approximately the same rate More
than 1900 900 rifles were produced in
America in the fourteen months ana
deliveries of the modified Enfeld ri1e
have passed the million mark.
The number of machine guns for
nsA on aeroplanes delivered before
June 8. was $3.50, More than l,So0
Hight Browning guns were delivered
In May.
"You may travel for weeks in
France without seeing an intoxicated
soldier" Is Secretary Bakers com
ment upon the army morale.
Secretary Bakers report was sent
to the committee in response to a
request from Chairman Dent, who
suggested that as the anniversary OF
the first landing of troops had ar
rived II would interest the committee
to know what the war department
has accom- plished The report made
by Secretary Baker is as follows:
WAR Department.
Washington. u. G.,
June IS, 1918
my Dear Mr.. Dent have re-
ceived your letter OF June 81. remind
ing me that just year has elapsed
since the first American troops were
landed in France. and suggesting that
I furnish the committee on military
affairs of the house a summary of the
Developments of the military estah-
ushment in the fifteen months since
congress declared war against the i'm
serial German government Any such
report might go into almost limited
detail. am happy, however, to have
an opportunity to comply with your
request, and will do so rs fully as
the compass of a letter will permit.
Regular Army.
II. Since april s, 1917, the regular
army has increased from 5.f9l officers
and 121.197 enlisted men, to II, 800
Oficers and 514.376 enlisted men: the
national guard in federal service. from
3,733 officers and 1913 enlisted men
70 1900 officers and 7,44l enlist
ca men: the reserve corps in actual
service has increased from 1000 en-
listed men to 131.96S officers and 49,
$50 men; the national army has been
created with an enlisted force of APP
prox1mAtely 100000 men.
The army has increased in four
Nasntinusa On EightA rasAl