The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1918-01-31


really been made for the war. 4
resume Of which report is giver
below. Read it. il you have not
already done so, and then classi
fy the doubters:
Washington, Jan. 2S.-Americs
win have an army of half mil
lion in France early this year,
with million more trained and
equipped ready to follow as quick
| " as ships can be provided to ear
| ~ them-and the outlook for
ships is not unprOmising.
Secretary Baker gave this infor.
nation to the world today in a
statement before the senate milf
tary committee, barring much that
until now has been carefully
guarded with the army s military
secrets, in answering charges that
the government has broken down
preparing for war.
Then toward the close of the day
the secretary delivered dramatic
general statement of the Ameri-
can plans, telling of the coming
of the allied missions, of the day
and night conferences with men
from the scene of battle in which
the plans now being executed
were adopted, and of success be-
yond the most sanguine expeeta-
ti0ns in building the army and its
industrial supports at home, trans
porting men across the ocean, con-
strueting railroads in France and
preparing to strike the enemy
with every resource at the cOun-
try command.
When Mr.. Baker closed it was
apparent he had created q pro-
found impression. Chairman
Chamberlain said so before he left
the stand.
While many things disclosed
impressed, the committee was
frankly amazed when told that
the men of thirty-two national
guard and army divisional camps
are ready to go today at need.
Mr.. Baker took personal resp0n-
sibility for getting men under
training before their equipment
was ready sstO the last shoe but
ton. Such officers as Major
General Leonard Wood, he said,
had urged this policy. He de-
seribed conferences that evolved
the ordnance program and its full
fillment, submitted documents to
prove that France and Great Bri-
tain were supplying artillery and
machine guns for the first forces
at their own urgent request in or
der that ships might be used for
other purposes.
elm all that was done prior to
the departure of the first troops,
General Pershing shared in the
deliberations and approved the
decisions reached, " Mr.. Baker de-
clared, and now surrounded with
. staff Of trained regular officers,
Pershing is IN France as the "eyes
Of the army"
Every step taken has been
founded ON his long daily eabled
reports of what is going ON at the
fronts.
AT the outset the idea was that
we would be a financial and IN
7ustrial assistant 70 our allies
during the year 1918, and / think
| probably can read from the
Metropolitan Magazine for Au-
gust a suggestion which viii show
what the current expectation Of
his country was. The editor of
he Metropolitan Magazine was
protesting against what he believ-
ID to be the intention of the gov
irnment at that time. "
Here Senator Weeks interrupt
ID to ask if that was the magazine
4 which Theodore Roosevelt is
ssociate editor. Secretary Baker
eplied that Mr.. Roosevelt was
contributed editor, and continu-
d.:
HIS AAAN &GA&AAE N0AAAC ONAb III &AA&~
ust 1917, and this editorial says r
Since it is our war, we want
D put everything into it so as to
nish it in the shortest possible
ime, so that the world may be re-
Eored. To our mind the whole |
Ian Of the war department has I
cen favored with a desire to
old off until the allies finish the Y
ar for as. Il
You see, the editor was deal
lg with what he supposed to be a
le intention Of the war depart b
ent at that time, that we were
Olding off so far as actual mill "
Try operations were concerned n
nd letting the allies do the fight
q. m
What he says we should have b.
0ne and ask your particular at
ntion to is this: fG
" We should have strained ev- Is
Y energy to have gotten from 81
1000 to 100000 men to France
is year. cl