The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-11
BAKER IN FRANCE:
To VISIT TROOPS
ON u. s. FRONT
Safe Arrival of the Secretary of
War Is Announced at
Washington.
SAILED FROM AMERiCAFEB. 27
Plans to Remain Abroad Iona Enouqh
to Make Thorough Inspection of
Pershing's Forces-Visit Is
Military Not Diplomatic.

Paris, March 11.-Newton d. Baker,
the American secretary of war, has
arrived safely at a French port.
Visit Military Not Diplomatic.
Washington, March 11.-On hearing
OF Secretary Bakers safe arrival in
France through the Associated Press
dispatch from Paris, the war depart
ment announced that the secretary's
visit is purely military and not diplo-
matte, and is for purposes Of inspec-
ton and personal conference with mill
tary officials.
Text of Statement.
The secretary will go to General
Pershing's headquarters and will make
tour of the American front.
The purpose of his visit was ex-
planned in brief statement issued by
the war department as follows:
"a cable dispatch from Paris on
nounces the arrival at French port
of the secretary of the war.
"For some time Secretary Baker has
desired to visit the headquarters of
the American eXpeditionary forces.
Sailed from an American port
about February 27.
Will Visit American Front.
Secretary Baker has not determined
the length of time he will remain in
France but his stay will be long enough
to enable him to make a thorough in
spection of the American forces
abroad and to hold important confer
ence with American military officers.
at is expected not only will Secre-
tary Baker visit the American head
quarters but his inspection tour will
cover construction projects including
docks, railroads and ordnance bases,
now way back of the American lines.
''The secretary's visit is military and
not diplomatic.
at is essentially for the purpose of
inspection and personal conference
with military officials.
1.-The secretary of war is accom-
panied by Maj. Gen. w. N. Black,
Lieut.. Col. M. L. Brett and Ralph
Hayes, private secretary to Mr.. Baker"
Press Keeps Secret.
On the eve of his departure, Mr.
Baker told members of the press who
have been in the habit of seeing him
every day that he did not expect to
be away for any considerable length
of time.
The secretary and his party left
Washington without any other at
tempt at concealment of their move
ments than request that the press
refrain from reporting his departure.
The newspapers again worked In
hearty cooperation to make the jour
submarines for the party. No hint of
the trip has been printed.
For several months the war secre-
tary has been eager to see for him
self conditions at the front and to
talk over with General Pershing, the
man upon whom the full burden of
responsibility for the entire Ameri-
can war program in France has been
placed, the many problems that have
arisen to impede the carrying out Of
the departments plans.
Represents the President.
1t was impossible for General
Pershing to come home for such a
conference Mr. Baker therefore de-
termined, after many conferences
with President Wilson, to go himself
on an inspection tour which will, he
believes, better fit him for his great
responsibility in meeting General
Pershings requirements in fighting
men and materials and keeping in
operation a supply line more than
1900 miles long.
Mr.. Baker is the first member of
President Wilson's cabinet to go to
the battle zone.
The war secretary is in Europe as
the presidents official representa-
tive, and the fact that it is his war
secretary and not a diplomatic rep
resentative is regarded as evidence
of the determination of the president
to press the war aggressively to VIC
tory