Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-28

X erica has done in the war; X
X When he finished he was pale X
X and weary and the committee X
X decided not to cross examine him X
X today. X
X X
x X X * X X X x x X X x X X
Washington, Jan. 2S.-In concluding
his statement today Secretary Baker
declared that when the senate commit
tee mas completed its investigation "of
the department IS work here and in
France it will report to the senate
and the country that a great response
has been made to a great responsible
ity."
"iThe American people will feel, as
they have right to feel, that we are
prepared to win, to hit and to hit
hard" said Baker. America is impa-
tient to do its utmost and that is why
we have been criticised. We are going
on with our tremendous task. We shall
continue to be hospitable to all sug-
gestions for Improvement.
'fThis is a faint picture of what
we we done over there said Baker.
"And over here, call to your atten-
tion, as one achievement, the raising of
of an army of 100000 men. Was ever
any army SO raised SO quickly or so
well2"
Baker flatly denied that there is any
shoddy in uniforms issued to United
States soldiers.
"The American soldiers uniform is
virgin wool, he said.
Senator Frelinghuysen interrupted:
81 don It want to contradict you, Mr..
Secretary, but the testimony of Colonel
Lindsay, an inspector of the quarter
masters department, before this com
mittee is to the effect that the uniform
cloth is rs per cent wool and 25 per
cent shoddy."
Baker submitted figures from General
Wheeler of the ordnance department
showing that shell making capacity of
the country for rs millimeter and three
inch shells had been increased so per
cent since the United States entered the
war.
Shells above those sizes have been in
creased 25 per cent he said.
Wheeler statement said 60,000,000
shells of all kinds will be delivered dur
ing 1918.
9'From the information I have, am
disposed to challenge that statement, ="
said Senator Frelinghuysen.
The feeding of the army, Baker dis
missed with the observation that emo
army anywhere assembled was ever fed
so well, so appetizingly or so efficient
ly as this one"
Why Gorgas Not Consulted.
He then turned to criticism of the
department's failure to consult General
Gorgas about selection of cantonment
sites. The selection Of sites was put up
to department commanders, chiefly in
tbe central. southeastern and southern
trIn the southeastern department was
General Leonard Wood, ranking major
general of the army and formerly
medical officer said Baker. 6 In the
Central department General Barry was
in charge Of cantonment site selections.
He had wide experience, both in this
country and in insular possessions.
These men were impressed with the ne
cessity for the greatest'care in selection
of sites.
."I have no wish to raise an issue with
the surgeon general, but / want 1t def
initely understood that his representa-
tive was on every army board that Sc
lected camp site.
Campo Not overcrowded.
Baker denied General Gorgas charge
that environments were overcrowded.
"Camp Devens, Aver, Mass, was the
only camp where the space recommend
ed bv General Gorgas was not given the
men, said Baker. "These were 300 men
too many there"
Senator Chamberlain asked about
Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, Texas, where
General Greble, camp commander, tes-
titled 10 men were put in tent built
to hold eight men at most.
Baker read figures shoving that Bow
lie had tentage for 10000 men at a
time when 1900 men were in camp.
He admitted the war college ordered
twelve men to be put in a tent, but
later reduced this number to nine, then
to five.
He gave it as his opinion that cpl
denies of measles and pneumonia were
due to the bringing together of young
men not used to community living"
Baker said board of the most com
petent medical experts in America had
advised putting all the men in tents, as
that would prevent sickness.
GAS a matter of fact, - he said, ''the
most serious epidemics occurred in ma
tional guard tent camps, which experts
had assured him would cause us no
Baker said the hospitals should have
been completed earlier but that it was
"And we were overtaken by epidem-
les before it was possible to erect base
hospitals, - said Baker.
Concluding his discussion of what he
called "details Of delay" Baker said
he would not attempt to prophesy when
they win be thoroughly remedied.
May Write of Discomforts
Senator Reed asked about Baker g
order preventing publication of a sol
dier's private correspondence until af-
ter it had been censored and deleted
Of anything likely to cause uneasiness
and alarm