Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-28

sending bodies home unclothed, the
mans clothes being shipped in a sep
arate parcel. An American officer was
then put in charge. Another COM
plant of neglect OF patient at Camp
Wheeler, he said, developed that it
was unjustified and resulting from
the distressed Imagination OF the
widow"
There still are in the hands Of the
inspector general. nine cases being
investigated.
Mr.. Baker told of Investigations
which resulted in discharge Of Lieu
tenant Charles W. Cole and Lieuten-
ant John G. Dye for neglect OF pa
tents as published in the newspapers
Saturday and Sunday. The judge ad-
vocate general advised adding prison
sentence to the dismissal, and that is
being considered.
Must Guard Mems Health.
1.-THE department sets its face
against that sort of callOus disregard
of soldiers health" Secretary Baker
said. 81 want doctors and the coun-
try to know that soldiers lives and well
fare are a responsibility which / will
not permit to be lodged or handled in
cavalier fashion,
While camp commanders are held
responsible for health conditions, Sec
rotary Baker said, the surgeon gem
erals Office has daily inspections and
he has appointed DR.. John A. Hornsby,
a hospital expert, as his personal in
spector A telegram from DR.. Hornsby
regarding camp conditions, Senator
chamberlain assailed, disclosed them
greatly improved" with mortality
reduced and ample accommodations
for all sick"
Mary Raps Chamberlain.
| Secretary Baker read letter from
Mrs. Mary Roberts Rinehart, the
| writer. who has son in the service,
commencing hospital conditions she
recently inspected. Mrs. Rinehart
said she was impressed by Senator
Chamberlain tragic letters"
| But l feel the mothers of the coun-
/ try Should. know" wrote Mrs. Rine-
! hart. that the number of such cases
! is small. 1t is cruel to allow every
mother to Judge the medi-al corps
: because here aud there men are I'M
willing or unable to give the care that
is their duty. There are conditions
e! to be remedied The shortage of wo-
men nurses is serious. But of cruelty
and Indifference l have found moth
| ing. Ninety-nine out of a hundred
boys are receiving better care than
they could afford at home
| and I wish TO point out further
added Secretary Baker, that the very
heads of the medical profession, the
masters of the profession, are in con-
slant touch with the surgeon gen.
eral"
All Face Disease Danger.
! No army could be raised in any
country, the secretary .contended
without danger from communicable
diseases. All that could be done was
to provide every means OF science tc
meet that danger. That, he insisted
was being done.
Taking up Senator Chamberlain's at
tack on the ordnance bureau Mr.
| Baker said that mems minds differed
about the tJSes OF guns to be uset
and about the quantity. He then dis
! closed that the decision to adopt Thu
so-called re-chambered Enfield rift
was reached late one night in his OF
fee at conference attended by Gen
eral Pershing, who was preparing Il
go to France: General Scott, chief o
staff: General Bliss. assistant chief
General Crozier. chief of ordnance, ant
| General Kuhn, then head of the wal
college. and several other staff officers
experts in rifles.
! II was late in May or early in June
Springfield Is Best Gun.
The American Springfield rife, Sec
retary Baker said, was admitted.
the best military rife developed b.
anv country" when this decision wa
reached, There were in stock abou
! s;. hundred thousand of them.