St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-02-02
SECRETARYWAR
ANSWERS WAR
INEFFlClENCY
CHARGES
Continued from page ~

many members of both houses OF
Congress gathered in big room of
the Senate Office building. He spoke
extemporaneously, beginning with
details of the mammoth task of
building an army Of million and
half, answering such complaints of
inefficiency as were cited by Senator
Chamberlain in his recent speech
and declaring that such instances
were isolated and not general. Some
questions were asked and Mr.. Baker
from time to time had assistants to
telephone for reports on specific
questions.
Then, toward the close Of the day
the secretary delivered a dramatic
general statement of the American
war plan, telling of the coming of
the Allied missions, of the day and
night conferences with men from the
scene of battle in which the plans
now being executed were adopted
and of success beyond the most SAN
guine expectations in building the
army and it's industrial support At
home, transporting men across the
ocean, constructing railroads in
France and preparing to strike the
enemy with every resource at the
country's command.
When Mr.. Baker closed it was ap-
parent he had created profound i'm
preston. Chairman Chamberlain
said so before he left the stand.
There was no attempt at cross-ex-
animation. The chairman proposed
to recall him for further examina-
ton later after the committee has
completed it's hearing of officers of
the medical corps, aviation section
and other branches of the service.
While many things disclosed i'm
pressed the committee it frankly was
amazed when told the men Of thirty
two National Guard and national
army divisional camps are ready to
go today. When members wanted
to know why such things had not
been given publicity before, Mr..
Baker spoke of the reluctance OF
military men to reveal their war
PLAN and quoted German remarks
her preparations.
Emphasizing that he was not there
to defend himself or anybody else,
the secretary urged the committee
again and again to lay bare any
shortcomings or failure of the de-
partment that 1t might he corrected.
Frequently he paused to seek strong
er language to deScribe the devotion
of his associates in the department..
military and civilian.
For one reason or another he
said, 1.-The impression had gone out
into the country, to some extent at
least, that the War Department has
| fallen down.
| 1T would be a tragical thing if
this tremendous effort, this wholly
| UNPRECEDENTED sacrifice made by men
were in fact to turn out to deserve
the comment that 1t had fallen
down"
Never in the history of time, he
| declared, had an army of this size
been raised, equipped, trained and
prepared for battle as had that of
the United States.
Advised by General Wood.
| Mr.. Baken took personal response
bility for getting men under train
ing before their equipment was ready
''to the last shoe button" Such Of
ficers as Major General Wood, he
said, had urged this policy. He de-
scribed conferences that evolved the
ordinance program and its fulfill
ment, submitting documents to prove
that France and Great Britain were
supplying artillery and machine guns
| for the first forces at their open urg-
ent requent in order that ships
might be used for other purposes.
In all that was done prior to the
departure of the first troops General
| Pershing shared in the deliberations
! and approved the decisions reached,
Mr. Baker said. and now surrounded
with a staff of trained regular OIL
GERS who could i'll be spared from
| the great task at home, Pershing is
in France as the "eyes Of the army
Every step taken since has been
| founded on his long daily cabled re-
ports of what is going on at the
| fighting fronts.
Tables were cited to show that
eyercrowding in the camps and can
| tOnments had not been general and
that the sickness had become mostly
| in the camps where medical opinion
had agreed it was least to be expect
ed. The history of the development
and building of the cantonments was
| given in detail to show that every
precaution possible had been taken.
| Analysing the efforts Of the Ordi-
nance Bureau, the secretary asid
| General Crozier had urged for years
a greater artillery preparation; that
| he at least had realized the time
| gun making required. But even
France herself with the enemy at
her throat" he added, had not been
able to see waht vast gun programs
the war would lead in to.
| During his general statement o:
the war plan and how it was de-
| veloped, Mr.. Baker was rarely inter-
| rupted.
| GOING 1T TOO HARD.