Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-01-28
know that their lives and welfare are
responsibility which I will not per-
nit t be lodged or handled in Q
cavalier fashion,"

know that their lives and welfare are
q responsibility which l will not per-
nit to be lodged or handled in Q
cavalier fashion,"
While camp commanders are held
responsible for health conditions, Soc
rotary Baker said, the surgeon gen.
erals Office has daily inspections and
by, a hospital expert, as his personal
inspector. A telegram from DIR.
Hornsby regarding camp conditions,
! which Senator Chamberlain assailed.
disclosed them Greatly improved
with mortality reduced and Ample
accommodations for all sick"
Commcnds Hospitals.
Secretary Baker read Il letter from
Mrs. Mary Roberts Rinehart. the
commencing hospital conditions she
recently inspected. Mrs. Rinehart
said she was impressed by Senator
Chamberlain's tragic letters. But l
feel the mothers of the country
should know" wrote Mrs. Rinehart.
that the number Of such cases Is
small. 1t is cruel to allow every
mother to judge the medical corps be-
cause here and there men are unwill-
their duty. There are conditions to be
remedied. The shortage Of women
nurses is serious. But Of cruelty and
indifference have found nothing.
Ninety-ninc out Of a hundred boys are
receiving better care than they could
afford at home" :.
And wish to point out further"
added Secretary Baker, that the very
heads Of the medical profession, the
slant touch with the surgeon general
No army could be raised in any
country, the secretary commended.
| without danger from communicable
disease. All that could be done was
to provide every means of science to
meet that danger. That he insisted
was being done.
The Ordinance Bureau.
Taking up Senator Chamberlain's
attack on the ordnance bureau. Mr..
Baker said tina mems minds differed
about the types Of guns to be used
| and about the quantity. He then dis
| closed tina the decision to adopt the
So-called re-chambered Enfield rifle
was reached late one night in his Of
flee at a conference attended by Cen
cral PerShing, who was preparing TO
go to France: General Scott. chief of
staff; General Bliss, assistant chief:
General Crozier. chief of ordance and
General Kuhn, then head of the war
COllCSc, anu several OIIeI Stall oiiISStS,
Experts in rifles" 1t was late In
May or early in June.
American Rifle Best.
The American Springfield rife. Sec
rotary Baker said, WAS admittedly
the best military rife developed by
any country" when this decision was
reached. There were in stock about
100000 Of them.
1t was not then known. Secretary
Baker commended. whether American
| troops would fight beside the British
or the French. The British used a
rim cartridge rifle of one calibre. and
calibre. The British government had
heen prepared to re-arm the entire
British army with the Enfield whcr
the war broke out in 1914. The ex
%cellcnce of the American weapon was
so well known hat the British decid.
&C to remodel their guns. but the sud
denness of the war prevented them
making the change.
THAT decision made that night
Mr.. Baker added. referring to the
conference at which it was decided tc
change the American rife. had the
unanimous consent of every man a.
the conference"
Needed Preliminary Training.
After America entered the war, Mr.
Baker said. Major General Wood
came to his Office and advocated the
necessity of calling out a large army
Secretary Baker said there we're MOI
the clothes or arms but General Wood
replied he knew that. but commended
the men needed to live together fol
preliminary training" He told Gem
eral Wood he agreed that the army
should be assembled as rapidly AS pos.
Sihle. but it was the intention to builG
up the regular army and the nationa.
guard first and then the nationa,
army.
Concluding his statement regarding
the decision to call many men early
Secretary Baker said: