Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-08

can tonnage was $50 ships of 3,721,SO6
tons, including tankers and former Ger
man and Austrian ships. Secretary
Baker said he could not estimate how
many troops that tonange would sup
ply
Discuss Roosevelt Editorial
The much discussed editorial in the
Metropolitan magazine, of which Colonel
Roosevelt was associate editor, attack
ing the war departments preparations
to send troops to France. came up again.
Secretary Baker had replied to the edl-
torial in his first statement by saying
the war department had done more than
the magazine contended it should.
Did the editor nave any information
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, he
had been quite certain that the depart
ment could do more toward training
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.
81 can answer that in this way" Mr..
Baker said. ION January 1 we had
transported to France more troops than
our schedule had called for"
Both combatant and non-combatant
troops?" asked Senator Weeks.
That is the aggregate" Mr.. Baker
said.
Senator Weeks said he had heard that
a military force ran about 40 per cent
combatant troops.
Secretary Baker said he did not have
the figures, but thought that the forces
in France might show that ratio. He
agreed to furnish Senator Weeks con-
fidentially with exact figures as to the
number Of men shipped and the proper
ton of fighting troops.
Senator Weeks asked what tonnage
the war department had available. He
said he had heard that it had 791, 900
tons on February 1. Mr.. Baker did not
know exactly, but thought that was an
underestimate.
Tonnage Calculations.
Senator Weeks asked IL the DEPART
ment figured on net, gross or dead
weight tonnage. He said that he had
heard that the German statements of
tonnage destroyed by submarines were
based on lightweight calculations and
the English on net tonnage, which made
the apparently divergent figures given
NOSSNAAN1
Mr.. Baker could not enlighten the sem
ator on the point.
Before General Bliss went to Europe,
Mr.. Baker said, an exhaustive study OF
the shipping situation was made. 1t was
reviewed before he went back the sec
ond time to attend the sessions Of the
supreme war council. The secretary
said the war department had kept in
closest touch with the shipping board
and the supreme war council had the
data on which to rely.
us there any prospect of more ton
mage becoming available at an early
date?" asked Senator Weeks.
"Oh, yes" said Mr.. Baker II recall
now that 10000 tons additional has be-
come available during the last ten
days"
The vessels were withdrawn from va
rious lines where they had been replaced
by neutral shipping. Much of the ton.
mage originally available for men and
and arsenal projects abroad, he said, and
the purchase of artillery abroad had
served to relieve shipping somewhat,
although the necessity of transporting
raw materials for the guns had figured
in the final result.
Examination of Secretary Baker was
interrupted while senators discussed go
ing into executive session to permit the
secretary to furnish confidential infor-
nation. Tbe discussion was precipita-
ted by SenAtor Reed, who thought the
committee was entitled to exact infor-
nation of the number of men now in
France, and on other subjects.
Chairman Chamberlain, as we'll as
Senators Hitchcock and Mcclellan fav-
ored an open session and to let the Sec
rotary indiacte what questions he would
rather answer in private
Wants Open Session
AS the Secretary's statment, on which
he is being cross examined, was made
at an open hearing, Senator Hitchcock
said he thought the committee would
make a mistake in not examining
him at similar hearing.
II think the committe and the public
are entitled to know where he proposes
to get the tonnage to supply the men
abroad continued the Nebraska sena-
tor 81 think the secretary ought 70
be able to put those figures before us
to back up his statement that he ex-
poets to have a million men over there
this year"
II think the whole question of ships
ought to be discussed in an executive
session." said Secretary Baker, in re-
ply to Chairman Chamberlain, who ask
ed ms views. Inc tonnage matter, lie
added, involved international ARA nge-
ments and he suggested that he be per-
mitted. to prepare a statement to show
the present status.
II don't think it is necessary for the
secretary to come here to disclose faces
in order to justify statements he has
made" interrupted Senator Kirby, Dem
ocrat. Il am opposed to it. I think
the committee in executive session
ought to determine just how far it IS
going in this investigation"
Secretary Baker agreed that the
committee should have every available
fact, including confidential information
Senator Weeks said he wanted to devel.
op just what could be done in getting
men, munitions and other produtcs
abroad, but without disclosing conf
Dental matter.
The Massachusetts, senator said, how
ever, he thought there was "a good deal
of camoufiage about keeping informa-
ton from the enemy which is published
in annual reports and otherwise"
81 want to make a suggestion If
may" Secretary Baker interposed. The
misfortune for me, if may call it such
in my first statement to the committee
lay in the fact that / attempted to give
opinions of the broad general situation
as I saw IL, when the information lay
in details that ought to have been got
ten from the experts in direct charge