The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-28

That there are more than 100000 men under arms in this country was stated by Secretary Baker in alluding to the cases of alleged neglect of the dead in camp .cited by Senator Cham berlain.
 Maj. Gen. Wood, MT. Baker said, recommended calling out large army, although the men could not be provided at once with rifles and cloth ing.
 For some reason or another the impression has gone out into the country to some extent that the war department has fallen down in the conduct of the war; said Secretary Baker. '1 want to address myself to that question.
 There are several reasons why should ask the committee to hear me. First, the country is entitled to know if that is a fact The country is enti- tied to know what this war is and what the problems are and how we are to meet them. Second, I have a deep sense of duty to the officers and civilians that are laboring with devo- 1 ton, sacrifice and zeal and are spend- ing sleepless nights to bring this army up to it's. greatest efficiency and suc- cess"
 Every soldier who needs rifle has one, Secretary Baker said, and Of a better type than if the British Enfield rifle had been adopted.
 Defending the lack of Lewis ma i chine guns, Secretary Baker reiterated that Gen. Pershing does not want Lewis guns for the ground force but only for aviation.
 Declaring that by securing artillery from France MT. Baker said 1t also would save ships.
 q am telling no secret when I say that ships Sre the crux of our prob lem," he said.
 Secretary Baker said all foreign representatives and the war council participants, headed by Col. House, declared that obtaining ordnance from England and France will not take supplies they need, but will help them.
 The impatience of the whole coun- try ''to do this thing greatly" the secretary continued, probably in-
 spired much of the criticism. Every
 one of us wants to see our country hit
 like a man at the adversary.
 'We look back over the past and
 see there have been shortcomings, that there have been delays. There
 are things that could have been pet
 ter done. But our effort is to learn
 q have no purpose to defend indi-
 yiduals or myself. If I discuss here
 individuals by name, if I refer to Gen
 Crozier or Gen. Sharpe or myself, il will be only to make it clear. If any
 Of US should figure in tomorrow
 casualties it would be as nothing be- side the object we all seek. l am not here to deny shortcomings, but
 think can say this: Where we have found such shortcomings or mistakes we have made every effort to correct
 them. I most earnestly ask that when you have pointed out to you any shortcoming, whether it seem well founded or not, that you in- stantly refer it to me in order that : the processes of the department may
 sift the truth"
 From Senator Chamberlain's speech MT. Baker said it had seemed } to him that, although it was not the Senator's purpose to make it so ap' pear, the country got an impression from the failures and delays thai made them 'disproportionate to wha1 was going on."
 The secretary said that when he [ heard of the two letters read by Senator Chamberlain concerning bao
 treatment of sick soldiers he imme-
 diately asked MT. Chamberlain fol
 all the details.
 q want to follow these through tc
 the very end," said he, land find oui ' who is responsible, in order that 4 can punish the guilty"
 Although more than one million men are under arms in this country , MT. Baker said, the number of com , plaints received has been relativel! t small probably not more than IS. IT each instance, he said, investigation! have been immediately made. Some
 reports, he said, have not proved
 serious on inquiry, while others ha :.
 in which cases corrections followed.
 In the case of the body of an of
 ficer who died in an aviation training 1 school being shipped home in sheet Secretary Baker said, inquiry devel
 
 a a British aviation officer who followed - the British method. An American Of : ficer was then put in charge. O Another complaint, of neglect of e patient at Camp Wheeler, he said d developed that it was unJustif1ed ant n resulted from "the distressed imagina e tion of the widow"
 q MT. Baker told of investigation
 that resulted in discharge of Lieut.
 Charles w. Cole and Lieut.. John D
 Dye for neglect of patients, as recent
 ly published.
 q 'The department sets it's fac l- against that sort of callous disregar' Il of soldiers health" Secretary Bake l. said. q want the doctors and tn Q country to know that their lives ant ,1 welfare are a responsibility which
 will not permit to be dodged.'
 While camp commanders are hell
 responsible for health conditions
 Secretary Baker said, the surgeon g generals office has daily inspection s and he has appointed Dr. John A e Hornsby, a hospital expert, as his per IS sonal inspector. A telegram rom Dr v Hornsby regarding camp conoluon IS which Senator Chamberlain assa1let e disclosed them greatly improved, h with mortality reduced and "ampl' a Accommodations for all sick"
 Secretary Baker read letter iron
 Mrs. Mary Roberts Rlnehart th' }, writer, who has a son in the service
 commenting hospital conditions she recently Inspected. Mrs. R1nehart T said she was impressed by Senator Chamberlain's tragic letters"