New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-05-23
MILLION men READY
TO Go TO FRANCE
Army Will Be 100000 Strong
in Year, House Is Told

washington, May 23.-Representa-
tive Charles Pope Caldwell of New
York, democratic member of the COM
mittee on military affairs, placed be-
fore the house late yesterday a COM
prehensive outline Of the War Depart
nent's military program and accom-
plishments.
Mr.. CaldwelIs address resulted
from an interchange of letters With
Secretary Baker. The statements in
it were approved by the war depart
anent, and were regarded as a semi
official pronouncem on its affairs.
He said that in q year, the American
army would be 100000 or 100000
strong. He declared there were at
present 2,078,223 officers and men
under arms, of whom more than $780,
900 were in France, and l, OOO,O 600 ad-
ditional were amply trained to be sent
to France as fast as shipping space
could be provided.
The United States, said Mr. Cald-
well, had raised and sent to the fight
ing lines in ten months an army
larger than England had found her.
self able to provide in q year, despite
the fact that 5000 miles of sub
America from France, as against 80
miles of the English Channel
During the first ten days of May,
the Representative said, the United
States sent 10000 men to Europe.
Enemy's Strength 1s3eo,Oo0.
Mr.. Caldwell went into a detailed
comparison of the man-poWer
strength of the Centrat'Powers and
allied nations, estimating that the
maximum total of men available to
the enemy for service was IS, 800, 900,
the number for the Allies was SIS, 49,
500. He said that the United States
itself could raise 100000 men this
year without going outside Glass 1 of
the draft
At the outset of his remarks Mr..
caldwell read the following letter from
Secretary Baker:
washington, D. c., May 3, .1918.
SHY Dear Mr.. CALDWELL:
ST have read with interest and ap-
probation your speech in the house
on the subject of aircraft and am
writing this note to thank you for
4 taking the trouble to look into the
situation and speak SO sympathetically
and helpfully. On this and all other
parts of the program which the war
department is carrying out, we are,
of course anxious to have real facts
carefully investigated and frankly
stated. and [ know of no more useful
service than so candid a statement as
you have made on the subject.
1.-THE country would be helped if you
can find it possible from time to time
to get into the Congressional Record
the result of similar inquiries in other
parts of the world, and you are a
j membe of the Committee on mill
tary affairs and. therefore, have con-
j slant contact with the subject, it may
be that you will find it possible to do
this.
I'm the meantime, I am sure that
you will feel at liberty to call on, me
for any information I can secure for
you on any subject that you feel in
clined to investigate. Cordially,
"NEWTON d. BAKER,
Secretary Of War"
! Baker Thoroughly Familiar With
Subject.
"Whi1e [ have found it impossible to
agree with Mr.. Baker on many de-
tails" said Mr.. CALDWELL 81 must say
that 1 have found him to have the
"A kecn6SL NINA or any man III pIlUl1C lie
i that it has ever been my pleasure
4 to come into intimate asso ciation with.
have never yet cross examined a
man who was more thoroughly IA
i miliar with his subject, more exact in
! his choice of words, to differentiate
md shade his meaning, quicker in his
i resp onse, or who had q better poise
4 than displayed by Secretary Baker
4 when under fire in the house and
senate military committees.
i "At the outset let me say frankly
! that we have made mistakes, yes
grievous mistakes, and had our fore
sight been as good as the aftersight OF
j our critics we might have accom-
i plished more. But Notwithstanding
these mistakes and omissions America
has done her share, indeed, more than
her share, for she has done many
Il times more than any of our allies sus-
pected that she was capable of doing