The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-04-17
BODY OF U. s.
MUST SUPPORT
ARM DECLARES
SEC. OF WAR
Baker, Back from Seven
Weeks Trip in Europe,
Calls on Americans for Re-
newed Support of the War.
WILL SPEED TROOPS
1y Associated Press>

WASHINGTON, April 17.-Secreta-
ry Baker. back from a seven weeks
trip In Europe, today called on the
American people for renewed support
for the war. The secretary expected
to see President Wilson some time
during the day to report on his OBJ
servations abroad.
THE American soldier has made
good in France" Secretary Baker to-
day assured newspaper men who met
him at the war department The
French and British authorities are uni
form in their praise of the courage,
endurance and soldierly quality of our
men," -.-.
The big thing for America today
is to support the war;" the secretary
continued. "To support it financially
and with firm belief. The right arm
Of America is in France. 1t is barred
and ready to strike. The rest of the
body is here in the United States, and
it must support the arm. This sup
port should include subscriptions to
port Of high confidence.
Condition Of Troops Good.
"The condition of the American
troops" the secretary says, sis excel
lent. They all are we'll physically and
we'll In every other way, their spirits
are high, their behavior admirable and
their relations with the French and
British cordial and sympathetic.
"One rarely meets an American sol
dier in France who does not smile
and wave his hat" Mr.. Baker said
THE only sad Americans are those
who fear they have to come home be-
fore the job is done"
The secretary, who returned to his
desk at the war department last night.
said that he would see the president
without delay and the story of the
trip would be made public in chapters
from time to time.
Will Continue System.
The war secretary also was author
ity for the statement that the present
system of giving out casualty lists
without addresses would be continued
and intimated that information he had
gained abroad had convinced him
that solution of this problem was COM
paratively simple.
The question of the form of Ameri.
can casualty lists should take was one
of the few on which Mr.. Baker exer-
cised his official authority as head of
the war department during his ab-
sence. Despite the fact that he went
abroad believing the publication of
casualties in the form originally used
was harmless he was quickly won
over by military men to the view that
the method might furnish valuable in
formation to the enemy and cabled
instructions that lists should be given
out as desired by General Pershing.
Secretary Baker came back to Wash
ington prepared to bend every effort
toward expediting the movement of
Americvan fighting men to France.
He is not inclined, 1t is understood. to
underestimate the peril of more Ger
man successes in the present fighting
on the western front, but there is no
doubt that he believes the combining
Of the American and allied forces un-
der the command of General Fcch will
checkmate the German efforts.
Members Of Secretary Bakers party
on the trip to Europe brought to Wash
ington today, new details about the
exploit of Col. Douglas Macarthur, the
former war department censor, who
recently joined a French company in
storming trench and came back with
prisoner. Going with the French
by special permission, the colonel was
missing when the action was over. He
soon reappeared. leading big Bava-
rian officer by the ear with one hand
and swinging riding whip with the
other. Col. Macarthur, who is chief
OF staff of one of the American divi-
sions, was decorated with the French
Cross of War for the part he played