The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-01-10

above criticiyn IT. initial clothing
supply. temporarily Inadequate b.
now substantially complete.
"a substantial army is already
In France ready Tor active service
5- Independent lines of commu.
nicauon aud supply and vast siornu,
and other facilities are in process OF
construction In France
6-HrcHt programs Tor M" manu-
facturc 81 additional equipment ana
Tor production, of new Instruments Of
war have beer formulated
Two exceedingly significant fig
ures. Mr. Baker said wcrc "thut ON
the first day OF Npril tho ordnance
department consisted of % officers
and he quartermastcr generals de
partment ~ 3t7 officers whilc they
nov respectively comprise 5000 aud
Gfai Officers.
we can now see the entire situa-
ton The Initial rush needs are sub
stantinlly supplied
'Th" coordination OF ally needs
with our own purchases has been 81
fpptcd
Bikc Not Interrupted
secretary Baker wa mot interrupted
iu reading his prepared statement and
aftcrwurd said he would ro very
happy To- answer questions.
Chairman Chamberlain took up the
subject uf rifles.
Abandonment Of the Springfield III
lie and adoption OF the modified ED-
Held. ne said. has been much cri;l-
Cised.
- think the delay was due ,o ,b,
action OF the ordnance bureau iu
changing the type said Secretary
Baker. n personally approved that
delay. / think the ordnance bureau
acted right adding that the delay
operated to furnish q larger supply
later of an improved arm.
1T isr't inefficiepcy to chang
your mind II 70 greater supply of t
better article h secured" said he add
ing that all men sent TO Europe had
ample rifles n now all men In train.
ing are well supplied.
Several senators Joined In question
ing to show that rifle production was
permitted 10 lax when IL was certain
the country was about tu 40 to war
but Secretary Baker persisted hat the
delay In changing models had. In the
end, produced "a much desired result.
He pointed out that eight mpnths AZ
ter England went To war, British sol
diers were training In top hats with
walking sticks and insisted that Amer
lean rife production Is nov $50 far
ahead that all men who will be called
out, will have enough.
Turning 10 criticism of the machiu,
gun situation. senator Chamberlain
said there Mas delay In ordering Lew.
guns That had been used succrSsfuIt,
ny England.
No DELAY After Npril.
Ihcrc was no delay after last
April replied Secretary Baker
Yes. there Mr.. secretary" re-.
tortcd the senator.
Secretary Baker continued IL, re-.
citing the machine gun c~ontroyers,
mat existed when he became sccr..
tary.
Senator Mcclellan thought the DELAY
was unreasonable.
wei, its 70 matter of judgm,pt
said Mr.. Baker Secretary Baker sal,
the board 20 Investigate machine gun
never delayed Tor one second the bus
ing of u after last April.
The fact remains thar ulue month.
have none" Tor training said senator
Mcclellan
~ wouldp} "a, none Sccrot1r.
Baker replied
They have relatively few
h't"to the var. the largest maghiu,
-un program WIS $4,000. D., added
while now zoo. 600 are required. will
manufacture, difficult ana SLOW
Those two facts make IL ana "a,
more Important thar machine gun
should nave been gotten from am
source. said senator McKclIar
Questions OF judgment.
The questions involved Mr. Bake.
reiterated. were OF Judgment uetur,i
speed ana excellence.
Are 60 entirely satisfied. $50 fl
as ordnance h. concerned. with ID.
progress the department ma. mad. .
asked senator Wccks.
y don't say the department mirh
not have expedited some phase rf IA.
work secretary Baker replied.
I'm what have We failed a"
The secretary hcsitatcd and answer
ed
Il can't answer that way. can.
PICK out any particular place
Senator Weeks asked II an dtaiIah.
ammunition production mcititic- ur0
being used.
No said secretary Baker. "hul
VIII be when We need them
The arrangement To- get British ln,
French ammunition Tor artiIlcrl 10,
said, was safe a. far az % gucs lon.
said principal reliance was placed ui
American sources
When senator Weeks again asked
he could suggest anything thai voul,
be helpful IN speeding up urduaur,
PRODUCTION. secretary Baker replied
II can't think Of anythipp thar you.
work Will help. Whenever Iv,
thought of anything I've done &c.. IN
up To- date nov
Federal Pow der ptnnI.
secretary Baker said nv thought
federal powder plant Advisable.
senator Chamberlain referred tu IA,
Dupont offer to build aud operHt,
plant AZ cost hut Secretary Baker eN.
planned the offer was to build a plan
for a commission Of fifteen per cen
and operate n Tor eighteen month";