The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-05
U. S. ARMY'S PART
IN WAR PRAISED
BY SECRETARY
Battle of Meuse America S
Greatest Contribution to
Victory. Baker Says =
Pershing Lauds Men.
.RY Associated Press,

WASHINGTON. Dec. 5.-The ques-
ton of permanent organization OF the
army has been deferred for considera-
ton after the close of the peace con-
ference. Secretary Baker, in his an
nial report made public Wednesday
night says this course is determined
upon since 1.-The military needs OF the
United States cannot be prudently as
sessed until that conference shall
have determined the future interna-
tional relations of the world"
For temporary purposes, however,
Mr.. Baker announces that he will lay
before congress a plan of reOrganiza-
ton for the regular army, (which shall
continue as the nucleus of any future
military establishment"
The secretary also indicates his in
tention to press for perpetuation by
law of the strong General STAFF organi-
cation built up during the war.
II have refrained in this report.
Mr.. Baker says, from making specific
recommendations for future legisla-
ton for two reasons. In the first
place. the signing of the armistice has
not formally closed the war. In the
second place, the peace conference Is
about to assemble and the military
needs of the United States cannot be
'udently assessed until that confer
en-, g shall have determined the future
int. national relations Of the world.
3,654,0O0 in Arms. n
In his brief recital of the events OF
the war, Mr.. Baker selects the battle
of the Meuse as from the viewpoint
Of military strategy, Americas great
est contribution to the successful out
come of the war;" since by that at
tack of the American armies the Sc
dan-MeZieres railway, the main artery
of the German supply system, was cut.
The entire available strength of the
American army in France. 20 divi-
sions. were in line in the second week
of October, he says, making yard by
yard progress against desperate en-
envy resistance which finally was
worn out land on November 1. the
American troops broke through The
object of the drive the strategic con-
ception of which included the British
drive at the northern end of the the
railway system and the French ad-
vance in the center. was accomplished
on November 7. when the Americans
entered the outskirts of Sedan to be
joined there the next day by the
French.
THE meeting Of French and Amer-
can troops on this historic spot" Mr..
Baker says, "signalized the defeat of
the German arms. defeat as decisive
and humiliating as that forced upon
France AZ years before at the same
spot. II there had been questions be-
fore as to the acceptance Of the armis-
tce terms, the allied advance culmins
tt,;- v@f
choice in the matter
In sketching the building up of the
war army. Mr.. Baker selects few
striking figures as illustrations OF
what each step meant and what has
been accomplished. On the day the
armistice was signed, he declares.
more than 33 per cent. of the entire
male population Of the country. be-
tween the ages of Is and 81 was in the
military service, the army reached a
total of 3,664.000 men. more than g.
000. 1000 Of whom were in Europe, as
compared with a strength of 1854 in
March, 1917, week before war was
declared.
Recapitulating the total American
casualties, 236.1Os mer as already an
nounced. Mr.. Baker said the deaths
due to battle alone were $4,000 and
that half of the wounded reported
probably suffered slight injury" He
adds that Federal battle fatalities in
the Civil War totalled 10000; Japan
lost $4,000 men in the Russo-Japarese
war and Germany lost 2S,60O in the
Franco-Prussian war.
Deeds Are Immortal.
Speaking of the selective service,
Mr.. Baker makes this observation,
without discussing the question of uni
versal military training. soon to arise:
AT that time when his preceding
annual report was issued) there was
ample evidence that the selective draft
was swift. effective and just means
Of securing the military strength nee
essary for the conduct of great war.
The experience of the past year has
strongly REINFORCED that conviction"
General John J. Pershing's account
of his stewardship as commander of
the American EXpeditionary Forces
was given to the public today by Sec.
rotary Baker. 1t is in the form of