American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-01-15


Browning gun that production in guam
tity would not begin before April.
Such testimony. Secretary Baker
conceded. would be most reliable.
Secretary Bakers formal statement
regarding army preparedness. Sena-
tor Weeks declared. would "%uninten-
%tionally mislead the country"
The country" said the senator.
should not be lulled TO sleep by a
general statement OF facts that don't
exist"
Secretary Baker said he was not
surprised al the machine gun short
age reported at Camp Bowie. in view
OF the general machine gun situation.
Senator Weeks said that Witnesses de-
clared machine gun units are pract-
ically throwing their time away" by
not having guns for practice. II
think you should give this your i'm
mediate and earnest attention" said
Weeks.
Secretary Baker added that on jan
uary 5 there was a deficiency of so per
cent In saddles. 40 per cent in saddle
blankets; plenty Of horses on hand,
but there is a small shortage OF mules;
canteens are about 40 per cent short
OF February l needs; small-arm am
munitiOn Is short. with production
rapidly increasing, anG motor vehicles
are short in Europe and in camps.
Standardization of motor trucks had
delayed supplying environments.
when are these camps going to
have all the supplies they need?" SEN
ator Weeks demanded, pounding his
list on the table.
"NO comprehensive answer can be
given to that" Mr.. Baker replied, adj
ding that he would give detailed fore
casts.
Returning to the question of pur-
chases by the supplies committee of
the council of national defense, Sec
rotary Baker said:
The process is being stopped and
| think IL is stopped now"
What becomes Of the committee?"
asked Senator Mcclellan.
1T will disappear Mr.. Baker said,
adding that Vice Chairman Eisenman
will be commissioned or placed on Il
salary with the r%eorganized quarter
master generals office.
Il want to protest against employ
ment Of Mr.. Eisenman because of de-
yelopments in this committee regard
ing Mr.. Eisenman and Mr.. Kaplan.'
said the senator. while Mr.. Essen
man may be equipped. the revelations
before this committee, in my opinion,
show that Mr.. Eisenman should not
be retained in any capacity" Secre-
tary Baker, in reply, praised Mr.. Essen
man, his business enterprises and
Judgment.
When asked by Senator Wadsworth
il. in view of the war situation, he re-
garded the 1916 army estimates too
small, Secretary Baker replied:
In view OF what has happened
since, II would have been wiser for
them to have been much larger" He
recalled that congress reduced some
items.
Shouldn't congress have been asked
to give more money!" demanded SEN
ator WadswOrth. pounding the table.
Secretary Baker reiterated hat events
would have justified larger appropria-
tons.
Did the war department make Wig
orous recommendations in 1916 for in
crease OF our whole programmed"
asked MIR. Wadsworth.
Secretary Baker replied:
"As | see il now. it would have been
better to have asked larger a%ppropria-
tons. But in 1916 conditions we're as
obvious to you as to us"
scarcely so. you had the military
information Senator Wadsworth re-
piled.
Senator Hitchcock again brought up
the machine gun question and pointed
out that the war departments latest
estimates showed that July l deliveries
OF browning guns will be four times
larger than General Crozier's esti-
mates given the committee.
This is astonishing. impossible and
entirely out of joint with contract de-
livery specifications said Senator
Hitchcock, Il would like the discrep-
ancy explained
Mr.. Baker said that more factory ia
cilities have been secured.
NO, that is not possible" Mr.. Hitch
cock replied. "All victories equip
ped TO make machine guns have been
given contracts.
Secretary Baker said the new figures
he had secured by telephone were of
prospective deliveries" and said he
had no personal knowledge of the CON
flict between his and General Crozier's
estimate.
General Crozier said we couldn't
hope for one-tenth of deliveries under
contracts before August 49, Senator
Hitchcock insisted.