The sun., 1918-12-05
ARMY ORGANIZATION
WAITS PEACE TERMS
Secretary Baker Issues His
Annual Report-Tells of
War Achievements.
MEUsE GREATEST EVENT
Victory There Made German
Acceptance Of Armistice
Terms Certain.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.--The question
Of permanent organization Of the
army has been deferred for consider
alton after the close of the peace con-
ference. Secretary Baker, in his an
nual report made public tonight, says
this course is determined upon since
the military needs of the United
States cannot be prudently assessed
until that conference shall have de-
termined the future international re-
lations Of the world"
For temporary purposes, however,
Mr.. Baker announces that he will lay
before Congress a plan of reorganiza-
ton for the Regular Army which
shall continue as the nucleus Of any
future military establishment"
The Secretary also indicates his in
tsntion to press for perpetuation the
strong general staff organization built
UP during the war.
Il have refrained in this report"
Mr.. Baker says, from making specific
recommendation for future iegisla-
ton for two reasons. In the FIRST place,
the signing Of the armistice has not
formally closed the war. We have at
present a great military establish
ment which can not be Immediately
dissolved and the activities Of the De-
partment for some time at least must
be concerned with what we have. In
he second place the peace conference
IS about to assemble and the military
needs OF the United States cannot be
prudently assessed until that confer
ence shall have determined the future
International relations of the world.
War study Necessary.
TN any case it is clear that the edu-
cation Of officers and a constant
study Of the science OF warfare will
be necessary and it is my hope that
the great Military Academy at West
Point can be supplemented by an en-
largement and broadening Of the ,spe-
cial schools which are at present or
ganized but should be made to take
on more the character OF post
uate courses and to develop and train
research specialists in the several
arms"
In his brief recital Of the events of
the war Mr.. Baker selects the battle
Of the Mouse as from the viewpoint
Of military strategy. Americas great
est contribution to the successful out
come Of the war" since by that attack
OF the American armies the Sedan
Mezieres railway, the main artery of
the German supply system, was cut
The entire available strength OF the
American Army in France, twenty
eight divisions, was in line in the Sec
ond week of October. he says, making
yard by yard progress against des-
perate enemy resistance which finally
was worn out land November the
American troops broke through" The
object of the drive, the strategic con-
ception of which included the British
drive at the northern end OF the rail-
way system and the French advance
in the centre, was accomplished No
vember I, when the Americans en-
tered the outskirts of Sedan to be
Joined there the next day by the
French.
Made Armistice Certain.
THE meeting of the French and
American troops on this historic spot"
Hr. Baker says, "signallized the defeat
OF the German arms, a defeat as de-
csiye and humiliating as that forced
upon France forty-seven years before
at the same spot. If there had been
questions before as to the acceptance
Of the armistice terms, the allied ad-
vance eliminating in this meeting at
Sedan left no choice in the matter"
In sketching the building up OF the
war armT Mr.. Baker selects a few
striking figures as illustrations of
what each step meant and what has
been accomplished. The day the arnlis-
tee was signed, he declares. more
han % per cent. OF the entire male
population of the country between the
ages OF IS and 81 was in the military
service, the army having reached a
total Of S.664.000 men, more than
100000 OF whom were in. Europe, as
compared with a strength of 1854 in
March. 1917. a week before war was
declared.
To illustrate the speed of this ex-
pansion the report cites the fact that
he British army in France had
reached Its high mark in the summer
OF 1917, three years after the begin
ming Of the war, and that figure was
slightly more than 100000 men,"
II took nineteen months for the
United States to reach the same
strength there, but Mr.. Baker points
out that during those years Of battle
British man power had been heavily
called upon to replace casualties, while
Tor many months the flow OF Ameri-
can troops all went to augment the
force being assembled. To some ex-
tent this was offset, he adds. by the
lar greater transportation difficulties
Oh the American project.
Many Wounds Only slight.
Recapitulating the total American
casualties, 236,10S men as already an
nounced, Mr.. Baker said the deaths
due to hattie alone were $4,000 and
that half OF the wounded reported
probably suffered slight injury" He
ADDS that Federal battle fatalities in
me civil war totalled 10000; Japan
lost $1,000 men IN the Russo Japanese
war and Germany lost $500 In the
Franco Prussian war.
Speaking of the selective service
Mr.. Baker makes this observation
without discussing the question of
universal military training. soon to
arise:
AT that time Cwhen the preceding
annual report was issuedl there was
ample evidence that the seleative draft
was a swift effective and just means