Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-21
SECRETARY BAKER TELLS
OF VISITING THE TROOPS s
Every One Was Proud to BE an
American Soldier, He De-
clarcs.
NO DOUBT ABOUT OUTCOME
United States Builds Huge Docks and
Loading Stations to Provide and
House Food for Men in the
Trenches
% DOUBT ABOUT OUTCOME

WASHINGTON, April oo.-Sccretary
OF War Baker told a great audience al
a Liberty loan rally tonight that he
found the American soldiers in France
fuilIof serene and untroubled conf
dence In the outcome OF the war"
He told of visiting the men in their
camps, and seeing !" them upon the
streets and In villages, whore they
did not know him, and said they were
strong. wholesome and brave, and full
OF fine determination, and proud they
were Americans"
There can be no doubt as to the
outcome Of the war" he continued
The ending OF this war will not come
when line is broken. The end OF
this war has not come until people's
! heart is broken, and those who have
looked into the faces OF the people O,
England, France and Italy, those who
have seen the refugees driven out o,
territory about TO be occupied by the
adversary know that mere force can
never break those hearts"
THIS was the first public appearance
| or the secretary since his return from
the European battle fronts. His ut
terances were eagerly looked forward
10 by both official and private WASH
inSton. The secretary will appear be.
fore the House and Senate Military
Committees next week
IT would be far too long story"
nc SAID III his speech tonight, TO tel,
all that one might see in a journey to
the French front. And yet. it is vitality
important that VIC get into our minds
all features.
france OF course, is fighting on her
own soil. Her civil population is at
the elbow OF tho soldier, and every eff.
tort that goes to sustain the soldier is
part of the national effort.
England. as it were extends her
national life across the channel, so
that the British soldier is at home in
france ltaiy, too. is in practically
tho same position.
our position. on the other hand.
must be such that it will be provided
months in advance. We must discount
the time and discount the needs and
accumulations.
FRANCE HAD EXHAUSTED
MOST OF HER FACILITIES
Tho war has been going on for
some time, and most OF the facilities
of France before wo entered the war
had been absorbed into the subsistence
of the army OF that country. so that
when necessity arose for providing for
an additional army the question came
up of building great storchouscs for
that army because there was little
that could be counted upon for the
support OF the army OF the United
States.
so we had to begin at the seaports
building docks, loading stations, rail-
roads. depots, where large amounts OF
material could he accumulated, and to
provide by these facilities that when
the time came for the American sol
dicr to have a meal. no matter how
far he might be from the scacoast,
that meal would be there.
II cannot in justice refrain from
word of parise for what has been done
in France by General Pcrshing and his
soldiers.
They have heen called upon not
merely to be soldiers. but engineers
They have built new civilization. i'm
posed upon the civil population of
France.
BRITISH AND FRENCH
GIVE THEIR ASSISTANCE
Our British and French allies have
been generous in their assistance Their
assistance has been Of the utmost
value.
In order that common aggregate
strength may be brought to bear
against the common adversary, a COM
plete interchange OF men and goods
has taken place. There is a complete
entity OF feeling and sympathy and
Continued on Eighth Pagc.)