The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-01-29
BAKER HITS BACK HARD
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instantly report to me that l may
search out the blame.
Mr.. Chairman, you made an adj
dress in the senate. 1t was at the con-
clusion of the Investigations of two
divisions of the war department-the
ordnance and the ordnance. In that in
vestigation some shortcomings and de-
lays were brought to the attention of
the committees
THE heads of these two depart
ments were in the midst of a great
undertaking and it may not be IN
fair to say the findings of the inves-
tigation assumed a disproportionate
aspect in relation to what has been
going on and what has been done"
Il have no doubt that the tendency
toward the feeling that we have fallen
down is the great Impotence of the
American people" said Secretary Ba-
ker. you and 1 want to feel that our
country is great and strong and can
hit like a man at our adversaries.
There's always at the beginning OF
a great undertaking like this search
10 find if there is anything we can
do, If there are shortcomings or de-
lays; in SO great an undertaking it is
impossible not to find them.
Our effort is to strengthen these
weaknesses to arouse confidence and
10 make our enemies feel the strength
of America.
Il have no bias in favor of indiv-
iduals. The issue is far too large fo.'
favoritism and l refer to General
Crozier General Sharpe or myself. l
want it understood that the appear
ance of any of us in the casualty list
n1nrnfrp &c nnn1iofl1a tn
cess of our undertaking.
Il am not here to defend or deny
mistakes. Those things have happen
ed and where they have happened we
have attempted to remedy them"
He asked the committee to ask him
any questions it wished and to go into
every phase of the war departments
work.
Mr.. Baker went first into the re-
ported neglect of sick patients and
the inhuman treatment of dead sol
diers in the training camps. He re-
ferred to the letters read to the sen
ate by Senator Chamberlain last
Thursday. He declared they aroused
every instinct of indignation and re-
sentiment in him.
Il wanted and ! want now to find
out who was guilty of this inhuman
treatment in order to punish them
he said with vigor. He added that
Senator Chamberlain had promised 20
give him the names of the authors of
the letters.
Secretary Baker declared that con
sidering the number of men under
arms the number of complaints of this
kind had been relatively small, mot
more than dozen and half"
In each instance they have been
referred to the surgeon general he
said. where it has been shown that
the human element has broke down.
the inspector general has been in
structed not only to take steps correc-
tive of the evil. but punitive where
fault lay"
Many of the complaints. he said,
were shown to be groundless upon in
vestigatiOn. In one case he said, the
body of a soldier killed at the flying
field at Toronto. had been sent home
naked. Investigation showed the
camp under the command of a major
of the royal British flying corps. Or
ders were given at once, the secre-
1ary said, to detail an American Off
Ger to the camp.
He told of another case where Z
medical officer had been dismissed
from the army for neglecting a pa
tient
Secretary Baker insisted that h
tried to be entirely frank in his prev
iOus testimony.
81 find the impression exists that
was fencing he said. Il regret tina
very much. 1t was not my intention
lam here now with no hurriedly gath
cred data. 1 am here to make a com
plete statement"
Secretary Baker spoke almost with
out interruption on the part of IN
members of the committee. He prais
ed the medical corps highly.
''Its like doesn't exist anywhere els
in the world" he said. THE sickness
in the camps has been cOmbated 4
the most effective manner known t
science The fact is. however, tina
there never yet has been an army as
sembled and none can be where me
are not brought in who have bee