New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-01-04
INEFF|C|ENCY OF
war DEPARTMENT
IS MOST DEPLORABLE
PROMINENT JOURNAL SEES
NO HOPE OF REMEDYING
CONDITIONS so LONG AS
BAKER REMAINS AS HEAD
OF DEPARTMENT

During November, General Greble
said, 5000 men, or about one-third of
his command, passed through the
hospital. with deaths from pneumo-
MIA, measles and other diseases aver
aging sixteen daily. At one time
1900 men were crowded into a hos
pital built to accommodate 800, and
without sewerage system.
"ffe declared the lives of many
men who recently died there would
have been saved had winter cloth
ing sufficient tents to avoid over
crowding and proper hospital facili-
ties and sanitation been provided"
Hirelings Had Sneered
This excerpt from the summary by
the Associated Press of General
Greble's testimony before the SEN
ate committee on military affairs
Yesterday sustains what we have
been saying for three months or
more in protest against the deficien-
cies in the Quartermaster Generals
Department. OF course the cuckoos
sneered and the press agents at
Washington of the War Departments
bureaucracy attempted to discredit
the accuracy of all such attacks. by
resorting to sort of cuttiefish de-
fence, in the course of which they
threw out totals of articles issued
to the camps and indulgrd in reas-
surine generalities for the deliberate
purpose of deceiving the fathers and
mothers in regard to the health and
comfort of their sons in training.
Reports Reveal Deception
The extent and the effect Of that
deception have since been revealed
by the reports of the Surgeon Gen
eral of the Army. Major General
William c, Gorgas. who could not
he gagged by ANYBODY in or ont OF
the War Department. He made an
inspection Of the cantonments at
which the death rate was highest
and gave the facts to the public
What he said regarding the over
orowdinG of troops and their suf-
ferinr from lack of clothing is given
a grim corrobarotion by the testi-
monv of General Grebc, command
ing Camp Bowie, and General Wright,
commanding Camp Dominican. Okla
homa. The summary of their tes-
tironv, as sent out by the Associat-
ed Press. appears on another page,
and it will be read by everybody at
home who cares a rap about the life
and health of those who are doing
their fighting for them.
Bskcrism Desdlier Than Boche
Conditions at Camp Bowie. which
its commander, General Greble. des-
cribed in detail to the committee
compel the distressing conclusion
that "Bakerism is deadlier than the
Boche" TO date in its effect upon the
army. The army as we believe, will
not be rid of this bane while Mr..
Baker remains Secretary of War or
General Crozicr and General Sharpe
retain their seats in the super-war
council of incompetents with which
he has surrounded himself. Those
bovs who have died at Camp Bowi.,
Camp Doniphan, Camp Sewer, Camp
Wheeler and other camps because
thew were crowded into tents $50
thick you could not walk between
them" and whose lives could have
been saved. as their camp command
ers assert. "if there had been sup
plies of clothing and proper sewer
age" will not have given their lives
for their country in vain if an in
dignant neople drive "Baker;sm" out
of the War Department before the
lives of the other soldiers are sa-
crificed on the same altar of igor
ance. indifference, incompetency and
wanton disregard of the truth.