El Nuevo mexicano., 1918-02-07
AMERICAN ARMY
CONTINUED from page one.)

III HI EXUIAIu0u. II E"ARhAy nuhI III
needed to make a finished soldier fol
this kind Of warfare. He sends us his
priority schedules whether for ship.
ment Of artillery infantry, signal corps
or other arms of the service. Il de-
pends upon the length OF time he wants
them to have additional training"
Senator Mcclellan said Surgeon
General Gofgas had testified that
Secretary Baker had directed that can.
tonments be completed before ships
were finished.
why did you do that?" demanded
the senator.
IT never gave any order on that sub.
ject nor do | recall any divergence of
opinion between the surgeon general
and myself" replied the secretary.
Artillery In Camp.
Senator Mcclellan asked for details
as to the amount Of artillery furnished
to the training camps in this country
which Mr.. Baker agreed to supply in
full.
He read a brief statement showing
that national guard artillery brigades
have been forty per cent equipped with
three-inch guns, and that national
army environments have been supplied
with from one to six batteries each.
Every howitzer regiment has at least
two Al guns for practice.
Secretary Baker agreed that more
guns we're necessary for efficient train
ing.
Army Contracts.
Senator Mcclellan took up the order
forbidding publication of army con
tracts.
Mr.. Baker explained that the only
lObject was to prevent publication of
lists of plants making war supplies,
as military men feared organized
campaigns of sabotage
Il am perfectly willing to c~oncede,"
he said that the order has lost its
significance. We may have been over
sensitive. | entirely share your view
that the utmost publicity should be
givenr
Stettinius' Job.
Senator Wadsworth asked Mr.. Bak-
er to explain the functions of Edward
r. Stettinius recently appointed sur
veyor general of war department sup
ply. Mr.. Baker said he had told Mr..
Stettinius that his functions we're to
grow and that the theory was to
bring the needs of the different bur-
eaus before Mr.. S~tettinius so that he
might review them and s~traighten out
conflicts. II won't hesitate to come
to congress for legislation as soon as
it is apparent that it is necessary" Sec.
Rotary Baker added.
Have you changed your views re-
garding the minister of munitions
bill?" asked Senator Weeks.
A Munitions Minister.
Discussion of a minister of NUM-
tons is difficult unless we know just
what is meant the secretary replied.
II think we have now an agency that
corelates all the purchases of the war
department"
This agency inclnd& shipping, he
added, saying he did moi think it would
be necessary to wrench OUT the sys-
TENS now used, which would result
OF such a measure be passed.
That Daniel Willard and Bernard
Baruch OF the war inquiry board had
testified strongly" in favor Of cen
tralized purchasing power was cited
by Senator Mcclellan.
Don't you think it istime we should
listen to these men of experience p
he asked.
Il think the difficulty of the board
has not been lack of power" Secretary
Baker replied, nbut lack of facilities
to do all the things it has been grad
ually preparing itself to do"
$50 far as | know there is no differ
ence between them and me. All of
US have changed our minds constant
ly."
But" added, nothing could be more
unfortunate than to start all over
again with a centralized purchasing
agency outside of the departments"
Senator Mcclellan and others hur-
riedly broke in with statements that
al not the purpose.
THE purpose is to use all establish
ed agencies-not changing them at all.
but merely putting them all under one
central authority" said Senator Nc
Kellar.
Isn't it time hat Mr.. Stettinius
practically is a director of munitions
today in the war Department. asked
Senator Felinghuysen.
"A little than that Mr.. Baker
replied.
Because the munitions director I'M
der the English system does not deal
with the variety of things that Mr..
Stettinius does"
War Industries Board.
Secretary Baker added that the war
Industries board is not a purchasing
agency but rather a production
agency.
why don't you put Mr.. Stettinius
at the head Of the council of national
defense and the war Industries board
and make him, in effect, director of
munitions? ?" asked Senator Freling-
huysen.
There is no occasion for the inter
vention of a new body" replied Mr..
Baker.
"The problem of the wal industries
board" MI. Baker added was not
only to determine priority between the
government departments but also to
distribute orders so as to dislocate in
dustry as little as possible.
SHOULD you not have another de-
partment to act as a clearing house,
headed by a business man, and. to di-
rect all purchaser persisted Freling-
huysen,
mo- insisted Mr.. Baker.
II think that would be a mlstake.p
Senator Weeks asked if 1t we've