Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-07

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tons. including tankCrs and former
German and Austrian ships. Secretary
Bakor suid he could no. estimate how
many troops that tonnage would sup.
ply.
nOOSEvELT'S EDITORIAL
AGAIN UNDER DISCUSSION
The much.discussed editorial In the
Metropolitan Magazine. Of which Col
onel Roosevelt was associate editor.
attacking the War Departments prep
arations TO send troops 10 France,
came up again. Secretary Baker had
replied TO the editorial in his Nrst
statement by saying the War Depart
ment had done more than the maya
zine contended It should
Did the editor have any infosma.
ton other than an ordinary citizen
might have had at that time?" asked
Senator Weeks.
oh. no." said Mr. Baker, adding that
In August. when the article appeared,
lie had bean quite certain that the de-
partment could do more toward train
Ing troops than it suggested. and also
that there was good promise that moro
could be done toward getting them to
France than the article proposed
Senator Weeks asked IL the War De-
partment had succeeded In doing as
much as 1t had hoped for In October.
Il can answer that in this way" Mr..
Baker said: ION January / we had
transported to France more troops than
our schedule had called for"
Both combatant and noncombataf,t
troops?" asked Senator Weeks.
hat lr
said.
Senator Weeks said he had heard
that a military force ran about 40
per cent combatant troops.
Secretary Baker said nc did not have
the figures. but thought the forces In
France might show that ratio. lie
agreed to furnish Senator Weeks con-
hdentialiy with exact figures as to the
number Of men shipped and the pro-
portion OF lighting troops
THOUGHT 7a1 900 AN UNDER
ESTIMATE OF TONNAGE
Senator Weeks asked what tonnage
tho War Department had available.
He said he had heard that 1t had 7s1,-
600 on February /. Mr.. Baker did not
know exactly. but thought that was
an underestimate.
Senator Weeks asked II the depar,.
ment figured on net. gross or dead
weight tonnage. He said that he had
neard that the German statements of
tonnage destroyed by submarines were
Dased on dendweight calculations. and
the English on net tonnage. which
made the apparently divergent ngures
given by each side very close together
In fact Mr.. Baker could not enlighten
the Senator on that point
Before General Bliss went to Eufope.
Mr. Baker said. an exhaustive study OF
the shipping situation was made. II
was reviewed before he went back the
second time to attend the sessions OF
the supreme war council The sAcre
tary said the War Department had kent
In close touch with tho Shipping Board.
and the supreme war council had the
data on which to rely
rs there any prospect OF more tom
mage becoming available at an early
dhte?" asked Senator Weeks.
oh. yes" said Mr.. Baker. ~ recall,
now that 10000 tons additional has
become available during the last ten
days"
Inc vessels were Withdrawn from
various lines whereithey had been re-
placed by neutral shipping Much of
the tonnage originally available for
men and supplies had been diverted
TO the harbor and arsenal projects
abroad, he said. and the purchase of
artillery abroad had served to relieve
shipping somewhat. although the ne
cessity or transporting raw materials
Tor the guns had figured In the nnal
result.
REED TRIES TO LEARN
ALL EXACT FIGURES
examination of Secretary Baker was
INTERRUPTED while senators discussed
going Into executive session 10 permit
the secretary to furnish confidential in
formation. The discussion was pre.
ctpitated by Senator Reed. who thought
the committee was entitled to exact
information OF the number of men now
i'll France and other subjects.
chairman Chamberlain. az we'll rs
senator's Hitchcock and Mcclellan.
favored an open session and TO let the
secretary indicate what questions he
would rather answer In private.
AS the secretnry's statement on
which he Is being cross-examined was
maze Mt All open hearing, Senator
Hitchcock said he thought the com
mitteo would make a mistake in rot
examining him at Il similar hearing.
4 think the committee and the public
are entitled to know where he proposes
TO get the tonnage TO supply the men
abroad. continued the Nebraska Scna-
tor. Il thing the secretary outht to
be able to put those figures before us
TO back up his statement that he ex-
poets to have 100000 men over there
this year"
Il think the whole question of ships
ought to be discussed In an executive
session, said Secretary Baker. In reply
10 Chairman Chamberlain who asked
his views. The tonnage matter, he
added. involved International arrange
'nents, and he suggested that he be
permitted 10 prepare a statement to
show the present status.
II don't think 1t Is necessary for the
secretary to come here TO disclose facts
In order to Justify statements he has
made interrupted Senator Kirby.
Democrat. Il am opposed to it. I
think the committee in executive ses-
sion ought to determine just how far It
is going In this investigation"
BAKEf OFFERS CoMMiiTEE