Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-01-17
BAKER OPPOSES
MuN|T|ON Plan
Tells Senate Committee Reor.
ganization New Going on
Renders Scheme Un-
necessary.
SENATORS FIND FAULT
--
Investigators Pick Flaws in His
Statement and Charge He -
Gave Country Wrong :
Impression.
SENATOR'S FIND FAULT

Washington. Ian. 14.-Establishmcnt
of a munitions director vas disap-
proved today by Secretary Baker III
testifying before the Scnat military
committee, VINO said the reorganization
Of the ia department is virtually SINH
lar to the British munitions purchasing
system.
The committee demanded to know
what had been lone about ! 200 Lewis
machine guns held in storage While
environments and camps need them for
practice,
Will Distribute Guns.
Secretary Baker promised that they
Immediately would he distributed, and
Senator Weeks observed that the distrl-
button had been delayed Il month.
That is the essence of this whole
thing" said Senator Weeks. "Tfere is
delay, too much delay. Things that
should be done AT once are delayed
when every day counts
MI. Secretary" Chairman Chamber
lain broke in, your general statements
of conditions arc all calculated 10 leave
the impression that all these matters
are really in good shape The senator
cited reports concerning shortages at
Camp sherman and added:
The effect Oh the country Of your
Statements is to lun it into a feeling of
security that everything has been done
that should nave been done. I cont
think it has.
Il think the country is entitled TO
Zee, secnre;| MI baker replied ear
country viii feel cure
Senator Hitchcock, another demo
cratic mcmber of the COMMITTEES, said:
But, Mr.. Secretary, we ave specific
testimony OF exact clothing shortages,
while your testimony seems to contra
diet them completely"
Final Equipment Needed.
Mr.. Baker saia The shortage cited
might be Of fin~l and not initial equip
men
II agree with the chairman" cor
tiiaucd Senator Hitchcock, that YOU
sccm To have tho impression that every
thing is lovely. that there are no short
ages and that these reports are UNI
iuStified.'
quite the contrary" MIR. Baker ans
wered. Il want To give the picture as it
is. There was a shortage of overccats
and other clothing. But hint the fig
uIes of shortages YOU have We're at the
climax Of shortages. l think he
try ought to have the knowledge that
since those a~iscouraging days supplies
have been very much Increased. Con
ditiOns ta"e not perfect, of course
The fault ] find" the chairman re-
piled. lis that il congress and the people
get the impression, which your general
statements give, tilaS everything IS ali
right, they will believe that no legisia-
ton to correct the departments sys-
TEN is necessary. and from our test!.
mony / think it is necessary"
But, ] must Insist" said Mr.. Baker,
that under facts as they are the coun-
try is entitled to reassurance.'
Mr.. Baker cited statistics of shortage
early in December and how supplies
had been increased during the month.
Mistakes in distribution and also in
furnishing correct sizes, he contended.
also contributed to shortages.
Senator Wadsworth insisted that the
war department had developed, in the
Mexican border service, that shoe sizes
We're not properly standardized.
Chairman Chamberlain declared sani-
tarv conditions and overcrowding OF
men. with lack OF clothing. at Camp
Bowie, were reported to the department
in September, II should nave been
epidemies, predicted by the camp com
handle had followed in December.
Secretary Baker replied hat his ad-
visors said nc trouble in canvas
housing of men was probable.
1T turned out that the camps in
which there was the most sickness were
the canvas camps" said Mr.. Baker.
Senator Weeks said Major General
Greble. Camp Bowie's commander. had
reported conditions to O high officers
III the department.
That is the trouble with the DEPART
ment, Senator Hitchcock, interrupted.
Nobody knows where to submit any
thing. being sbunted from pillar to
post"
Senator Frelinghupsen asked if all
clothing manufacturing facilities of the
country We're used.
Not Using Sweat Shops.
The sweatshop system was proni-
bited from the beginning" Mr.. Baker
replied disclaiming knowledge that
large and well known Rochester,, N. y.
factories We're not used.
Turning to cantOnment death condi-
tons Secretary Baker conceded there
were complaints and differences Of on
inion regarding architecture of hospi-
tails.
Senator Walsworth said the Suar-
tanburg. S. c., camp hospital was built
with open roofs, like the Panama zone
hospitals, and had to lie rooted over
when near zero weather came. Score
tary Baker replied that all hospitals
had been built on plans recommended
by Surgeon General Gorgas.
Recent reorganization of the depart-
ment n its bureaus. especially the
ordnance bureau was detailed by Sec
rotary Baker. The old system, he said,
imposed Impossible burdens Of co.
ordination on the secretary.