Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-28
Says Mistakes Cited Give
Disporportionate
i Aspect.
RIFLE SELECTIONS
MADE BY BOARD
Baker Points Out That Change IN
Small Arms Was Decided Upon at
Council Of Army Officers-Adm'ts
Mistakes Have Been Made but Holds
That Shortcomings Have Been Few
and Not More Numerous Than Usual.


Baker, in long personal statement TO-
day before the senate military commit
tee. replied to Senator Chamberlalns s
sneech on ineficiency in the war de-
partment.
Without a prepared speech the Sec
retary of war told the committee ne
had TO come to insist that inefficiencies
where disclosed had been promptly
corrected, but they were the exception
rather than the rule.
Incidentally, in defending the war
/. machinery against the charge OF IN
efficiency and lack Of initiative to pre-
pare for war when war was assured
the secretary disclosed some 1acts
hitherto held confidential.
france and Great Britain, he said
were supplying artillery to the Amer
lean forces because they themselves
wished to do so, and wished to save
ships for more vital necessities.
Million Men Ready For War. \
Thirty-two divisions of national
guard and national guard troops IN the
camps in the United States-moFe thah
1000. 600 men in all-are conslderea
ready to go to Europe when consld-
cred necessary.
Every man considered prepared for
the use Of the rifle has been provided
with rife, the secretary said.
Lewis machine guns, he said. altho
thew have been ordered, are not belns
used for troops on land. because. he
said. General Pershing desires to use
them only for the air service
Responsibility for calling out large
number Of men before equipment 1or
them was ready, Secretary Baker as
sumed to himself, but added the best
military advisers, including MaJ.-Gen.
Leonard Wood, pressed for 1t.
Mistreatment Of Patients Punished.
Charges of mistreatment of men In
hospitals, he said, were acted on Vlgor-
ously, and pointed out that the war
department only last week insisted that
two doctors who mistreated patients
should have prison sentences.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28.-Secretary OF
War Baker began his reply to Senator
Chamberlain's charges Of inefficiency
TODAY before the senate military affairs
committee.
The secretary began making q verbal
statement without manuscript. He
was seated at the committee members
table. Secretary Baker said his state
ment was not exactly supplementary
TO his recent one before the committee
but a resume Of the avtivities Of the
department.
mt hi rI@ 70 ~,
begin the hearing in its own small COM
mittee room and arranged to have 1t
in large senate office building room.
At the outset Mr.. Baker said he
thought much criticism came from i'm
patience of the people to do this great
thing greatly.
The confidence Of the country, he
said, was necessary to the tremendous
effort.
Not Defending individuals.
The mistakes cited In Senator Cham
berlain's speech, the secretary declared,
gave a disproportionate aspect. With
out intent, he said, the effect Of the
senator's speech was to give the i'm
preston that the mistakes were char
a2teristic rather than occasional" He
said he would not defend individuals.
"But I can gay with confidence that
we have found remedy" he declared.
For one reason or, another the Inn
preston has Eone out in the country
to some extent that the war depart
ment has fallen down in the conduct
Of the war;" he said. II want to ad-
dress myself to that question.
First, the country Is. entitled to
know II that is fact. The country is
entitled to know what this war is and
what the problems are and how we are
to meet them. Second, l have deep
sense of duty to the officers and civil
ians who are laboring with zeal and
sacrifice to bring this army up to it's
greatest efficiency
Officers Accept Full Duty.
Describing the spirit Of army officers,
the secretary said he had seen Strong,
grizzled men turn away from their
desks in tears" when they had found
that they could not go to France where
the glory, OF their profession lay but
must remain in Washington to press
forward war preparations.
There was no case, he added, Of any
officer who had not accepted his duty
with his whole heart. Men Of high
places in civil life thruout the coun-
try. he said, had come to Washington
to accept Aaiarieasof Office boys, many
y With no salaries ct al to place their