The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-28
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them only for airplane work. Great
Britain and France, he said, are pre-
pared to furnish machine guns for the
land forces until the American supply
arrives, and, in fact, wish to do So,
Responsibility for calling out a large
number of men before equipment for
them was ready, Secretary Baker as
sumed to himself, but added that the
best military advisers, including Maj.
Gen. Leonard Wood, pressed for it,
Charges of mistreatment of troops
in hospitals, Secretary Baker said,
were acted on vigorously. and he
pointed out that the war department
only last week refused permit mere
dismissa! of two army doctors who
mistTeated soldiers, but insisted they
should have prison sentences in adj
dition.
Faults Not Characteristic.
Senator Chamberlain,s speech, Mr..
Baker thought, has given the country
the impression that the deficiencies
complained of were characteristic
rather than occasional"
For thai reason he deplored its eff
feet, but he emphatically declared he
came before the committee not to de-
fend individuals. deny delays or false
starts But, he said, Il think 1 can
say in confidence that in them we
have sought the remedy"
Report Dept Has Fallen Down.
For one reason or another the inn
preston has gone out into the coun-
try to some extent that the war de-
partment has fallen down in the con-
duct of the war" Secretary Baker
said IT want to address myself to
that question.
There are several reasons why /
should ask the, committee to hear me.
First, the country is entitled to know
if that is a fact. The country is en-
titled to know what this war is and
what the problems are and how we
are to meet them. Second, 1 have a
deep sense of duty to the officers and
devotion, sacrifice and zeal and are
spending sleepless nights to bring this
army up to its greatest efficiency, and
success"
Describing the spirit of army Of
ficers, Secretary Baker said he had
seen strong. grizzled men turn away
from his desk in tears when they
had found that they could not go to
France where the glory of their
profession lay" but must remain in
Washington to press forward war
preparations. There was no case, he
cepted his duty with his whole heart.
Slap at Patriotic Aides.
Men of high places in civil life thru
out the country, he said, had come to
Washington to accept salaries of office
boys, many no salaries at all, to place
their experience at the disposal of the
nation.
Gentlemen" said the secretary,
speaking with great earnestness, it
would be tragical thing if this
momentous effort were to deserve the
comment that it had fallen down."
The Impotence of the whole country
to do this thing greatly" he said,
probably inspired much of the criti-
cism. Every one of us wants to see
our country hit like a man at the ad-
versary.
I'VE look back over the past and see
that there have been shortcomings;
that there have been. delays. There
are things that could have been bet
ter done. But our effort is to learn.
But Mistakes Are Corrected!
ST have no purpose to. defend indi-
viduals or myself. If I discuss here
individuals by name; if l refer to
General Crozier or General Sharpe or
myself, it will be only to make it clear.
eff any of us should figure in to-
morrows casualties it would be as
nothing beside the object we all seek.
am not here to deny shortcomings,
but 1 think L can say that; that where
we have found such shortcomings or
mistakes, we have made every effort
to correct them! / most earnestly ask
that when you have pointed out to
you any shortcomings, whether it
seems well founded or not, that you
instantly refer it to me in order that
the processes of the department may
sift the TRUTH
Attack Misleading.
From Senator Chamberlain's speech
Mr.. Baker said it had seemed to him
that altho it was not the senator's pur-
pose to make it appear SO the country
got an impression from the failuI es
and delays that made them "dispro-
portienate to what was going on"
The secretary said there might be
instances of shortcomings hut OILY
instances
When he appeared previously Mr..
Baker said it was with the intention
of being frank" but despite this de-
ing that 1 was fencing in defense of
some of my subordinates." He denied
any such intention and said when he
concluded if there was anything else
the committee desired to investigate
he WOULD do everything possible with
favor" and to effect any improvement.
Only 1s Such Complaints.
The secretary said that when he
heard of the two letters read by Sem
ator Chamberlain concerning bad
diately asked Mr.. Chamberlain for all
the details.
Il want to follow those thru to the
very end said he, land find out who
is responsible, in order that we can
punish the guilty Attic more than
one million men are under arms in
this country, Mr.. Baker said, the num-
Der of complaints received have been
relatively small, probably not more
than eighteen. In each instance, he
said investigations have been made i'm
mediately.
Lewis Guns for Aviators.
Defending the lack of Lewis ma
chine guns Secretary Baker reiterated
that General Pershing does not want
Lewis guns for the ground forces but
only for aviation
Secretary Baker said all representa-
tives and also the war council partici-
pants headed by Colonel House de-
cIared that securing ordnance from