Evening star., 1918-02-06
LOOKS To ALLIES
TO SUPPLY SHIPS
TO MOVE TROOPS
Secretary Baker Tells Senate
Committee He Is Not De-
pending on U. S. Alone.
DETAILS OF HIS PLANS
TO BE GIVEN IN SECRET
Head Of War Department, on Cross
Examination, Answers Charge He
Grossly Exaggerated"

Grossly Exaggerated"
Secretary Baker came up for cross
examination today before the Senate
military committee on his picture of
the state of preparedness of the Army,
which congressional critics have attack
ed as grossly exaggerated
But the principal point of the whole
controversy. the question of where the
Army is going to get ships to transport
a million men to France this year. was
left untouched. partly because Secretary
Baker did not have the detailed figures
to show the committee on what basis
he made his assertion, and partly be-
cause the committee got into a squabble
over whether it would be proper to
have the Secretary of War disclose
the figures in public.
The upshot of 1t was that the question
of ships was left to be presented in ex-
act statements to the committee in
secret session tomorrow, and the cross
examination went on to other subjects
|of a general nature.
Not Counting on o. S. Ships.
Senator Hitchcock. who has attacked
statement that the United States could
put a million men in France this year
in addition to 100000 there early this
spring-was insistent that Mr. Baker
grounds he had for believing there
were ships available for their trans
port and supply.
Secretary Baker replied he did not
have the exact figures in his mind, but
that his statement was made on figures
which had been prepared by experts
who took in the information at the
disposal of the shipping board, as well
as what ships might be available from
neutral and foreign sources. The Sec
retary made it plain that he was not
counting wholly on American ships TO
transport the troops.
Secretary Bakers cross-examination
was begun by Senator Weeks of Massa-
chusetts. republican. in connection
with the number of troops to be sent
On nj January /. Secretary Baker said.
more troops had been transported to
France including both non-combatan.
and fighting forces. than had been
Pisnnea seeretary Baker and Senator weeks
agreed that it was improper to s&sclose
the number of American troops aaw In
France
To Supply Details of Ships.
Transportation of fighting troops was
temporarily reduced. Secretary Baker
said in discussing the shipping situa-
ton, by the necessity of sending larger
engineer forces. He did not have with
him detailed statistics regarding avail.
able shipsn but promised to supply it,
The shipping board and the War De-
partment, Secretary Baker said. are in
constant contact, exclusively studying
the shipping situation. Gen. Bliss, he
said took the information abroad a
basis of calculation in connection with
the shipping situation. About 10000
tons additional have recently been Sc
cured.
Senator Weeks asked if it were true
that the War Department had 791.o 900
tons of ships available for transporting
troops February 1. Secretary
Baker did not know, but thought that
an underestimate.
Senator Hitchcock said that on Mo-
vember 80 the shipping board advised
him the total gross available American
tonnage was $50 ships of 3,72l,S06 tons.
including tankers and former German
said he could not estimate how many
troops that tonnage would supply.
May Move Troops North.
Secretary Baker said he had not de-
termined whether troops would be kept
the summer weather was as extreme as
this winter has been, he said. some
would have to be moved.
American tonnage losses. Secretary
Baker said, have been exceedingly
light. THE service the Navy has rem
dered in the protection of the Army"
he said. has been unexamrled"
Secretary Baker gave the opinion
that new legislation would be desirable
to give the President general powers
to transfer and coordinate functions
of various departments as conditions
arise.
The examination turned to the question
of supplies for the Army. 1t became ap-
parent from the nature of Secretary
Bakers replies that he and President Will
son had been discussing some form OF
further reorganization OF the war Depart
ment, which they hoped would satisfy
those who are pressing the bill for a di-
rector of munitions.
1t was indicated earlier in the dav.
also, in other official quarters that the
President and the Secretary of War
hoped by further move to meet the
demand for the bill.
The committee recessed at 1880
o'clock.
1t was decided that Gen. Wheeler
would appear for closed hearing to-
morrow, and that Secretary Bakers
further appearance would be srbjert to
submission of his statistical informa-
ton and arrangements could be made
with Chairman Chamberlain.
After Secretary Baker submits statis-
ties requested by the committee an
other public hearing may be arranged.
Surpassed Magazines Contention.
The much discussed editorial in the
Magazine. of which Col.
Roosevelt was associate editor. attack
ing the War Departments preparations
to send troops to France, came up
again Secretary Baker had replied to
the editorial in his first statement by
saving the War Department had done
more than the magazine contended 1t
should.
..Did the editor have any information
other than an ordinary citizen might
have had at that timer" asked Senator
Weeks.
.1Oh, no." said Mr.. Baker. adding that
in August, when the article appeared,
he had been quite certain that the de-
partment could do more toward train
ing troops than it suggested, and also
that there was good promise that more
could be done toward getting them to
France than the article proposed.
Senator Weeks asked if the War De.
partment had succeeded in doing~as
much as it had hoped for in October
ct, <hof ;~n Ar.S