The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-01-28

they can use 1t, and that our own
stream Of manufacture to supplement
this is in process, with delivery Of
pieces rising steadily"
The total OF British munitions con-
tracts pleaced in the United States
over a period Of three years, Secre-
tary Baker then showed, was more
than a million dollars, while the
United States had placed greater
orders in the same market during a
period Of seven months.
1T is fair to assume" he said, in
comparing the figures, that Great
Britain was getting at least the
maJo" part of what we could produce.
When we came into the field we
found 1t in part pre-empted by our
allies. Our necessity was to intrude
our program without displacing that
Of our allies. The ordnance bureau
has averaged twenty contracts a day
since we went into the war;"
Senator Frelinghuysen said he
understood the shell-making capacity
of the country had dropped rs per
cent after the United States enter
ed the war, the war department hav-
ing permitted plants to go out of
business and be dismantled.
Secretary Baker said he had no
information on that point, but would
obtain 1t for the committee. He
suggested that plants built and own
ed by the British government might
have been dismantled and shipped to
England.
No Discrimination.
Senator Sutherland said 4 a negro
preacher had told him that his son
at Camp Meade, Md. had been sup
piled with cast-off clothing of white
soldiers and no wooden underclothing.
Secretary Baker said he would
investigate but declared there was
no discrimination in the treatment of
white and negro troops.
Secretary Baker said the idea had
gotten abroad that the American
army uniform is party shoddy. He
declared it is all wool and that shoddy
is put only in overcOats and
when we went into the war;" he
said, "the standard Of the army uni
form was rs per cent wool and rs
per cent cotton. But that was
changed and now every yard Is Of
virgin wool, with a large increase in
its strength"
After the luncheon recess. Secre- !
tary Baker read a report showing |
60, 100000 shells are under manu- |
facture for delivery this year. with
an increase of 80 per cent in manu- 4
facture of 70 milimetre and three
inch shells and 25 per cent in heavier !
sizes since the country entered the /
war.
Referring to the conitions at Camp
Mead, the secretary read from a let
ter from Major General Nicholson
saying there had never been q time
when each soldier had not had three
suits Of heavy underwear and suttl-
.ient heavy socks. He also reported
that the food situation was adequate.
The Food Supply.
II want to make one further OBJ
IerVation", Secretary Baker proceed
ID, taking up army food. i think II
S not unfair for me to say that in
he provision of food, no army ever
anywhere was ever fed as
.bly, as we'll, as nutritiOusly and as
.ppetizingly as this army. While
here have been complaints about
,ther things, think 1t is the unam-
nous testimony that the food has
reen of the highest quality, with no {
uggestion of defect in it's quantity j
# preparation, and that generally
he food proposition has been carried
ut with the most extraordinary sue !
ess". !
Sites for the camps and canton
nents were next taken up by Mr.. &
,aker. He detailed the war colleges
tudy of the subject, and its recon-
lendations that departmental COM
landers be required to select camps
4 their respective jurisdictions, with
egard to healthfulness, freedom
rom overflow or climatic influences
training and other de-
irable and nondesirable considera-
ons.
The principal places where camps
rere selected were in the south q
lstern and central and southern de-
artments", Secretary Baker con-
nued, stating that Major General
Yood, senior major general OF the n
rmy, was then in charge of the e
department. J
Praising General Woods exper- r
nee and qualifications to select o
tes, Secretary Baker referred to
le fact that the general had been a =,
.edical officer and also Originated a
le training camp idea, carrying it
q demonstrated success at Platts- r,
1rg". Il
General Wood, he added, was II
by common consent in
le army as the most capable to
,lect camp sites and inaugurate a
aiming camp system.