Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15


wealth that comes from excessive
incomes"
Texas, testified to by Major Genera
Greble, commandant.
! "You have given the impression tina
every camp has enough rifles" Sen
ator Weeks observed How can 20,
conform that to the statement tina
there are no requirements of artil
lery?"
STATEMENT UNDER FIRE.
II didn't make that statement,
said Mr.. Baker.
you gave that impression"
81 said initial rush needs are fill
3D." explained Mr.. Baker.
But you ought to define your state
ment; you give the country the i'm
preston that every need in the camps
is supplied" said Mr.. Weeks.
| Mr.. Baker said rifle shortages have
been substantially corrected" since
General Greble reported.
IGNORANT OF FACTS.
| 1T would have been very fortunate
if we could have gotten machine guns
| sooner" he added.
us there any reason why 1900
| should be held in storage?" asked Sen
ator Hitchcock, referring to testimony
by General Crozier to that effect.
II did not know that" said Mr..
Baker.
Reverting to delay in machine guns
| deliveries, Senator Hitchcock deplor.
ed tardy contracts for Lewis guns and
Mr.. Baker rejoined that large produc-
ton of Browning guns would begin in
February.
NINE MACHINE GUNS.
This aroused Senator Hitchcock.
THAT isn't So" he retorted sharp.
ly, Shaping his hands together at the
secretary. 1--WE won't have large
quantity before 1919 in actual use. We
haven't one now"
ed. smiling. Seriously he added that
production was being speeded up and
that his latest information was that
quantity production Of the Browning
guns would begin in February"
Senators Hitchcock and Weeks both
called the secretary's attention to tes-
timony of General Crozier and manu-
facturers given contracts for the
Browning gun, that production in
quantity would not begin before April.
APRIL IS RIGHT.
: Such testimony Secretary Baker
conceded, would be most reliable.
Secretary Bakers formal statement
of yesterday regarding army prepared
ness, Senator Weeks declared, would
"unintentionally mislead the country
''The country" said the senator,
SHOULD not be lulled to sleep by q
general statement of facts that don't
exist"
During the rapid cross questioning,
the secretary apparently was serene.
putting cigar and answering all Ques-
tons calmly.
AWARE OF GUN SHORTAGE.
Secretary Baker said he was mot
at 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 prac-
tically throwing their time away" by
not having guns for practice.
'I think you should give this your
and earnest attention"
said Senator Weeks.
BAKER LISTS DEFICIENCIES.
Secretary Baker added that on Jan
uary there was deficiency Of so
per cent in saddle and 40 per cent in
saddle blankets. Plenty of horses are
on hand, he said, but there is small
shortage of mules. Canteens are about
40 per cent short of February needs;
small arm ammunition is short with
production rapidly increasing and mo-
tor vehicles are short in Eurppe and
in camps. Standardization Of motor
trucks has delayed supplying canton
ments
why, nine months after war, are
there no rolling kitchens? Isn't that
Weeks.
CAN'T ANSWER QUERIES.
81 can't answer that" Mr.. Baker re-
piled. 81 suppose it is because the !
training units are not in the field and |
do not need rolling kitchens. have |
not had one single complaint regard |
ing food"
when are these camps going to |
have all the supplies they need?'
Senator Weeks demanded, pounding |
his fist on the table.
''No comprehensive answer can be |,
given to that Mr.. Baker replied.
Returning to the question Of put
chases by the supplies committee OF |
the council of national defense Score. |
tary Baker said:
THE process is being stopped and !
think it is stopped now
GOODBYE. COMMITTEE.
What becomes of the committee?'
asked Senator Mcclellan.
1T will disappear" Mr.. Baker re.
piled, adding that Vice Chairman
Eisenmann will be commissioned or
placed on a salary with the reorgan.
zed quarterlnaster generals Office. !;
81 wish to protest against employ.
nent of Mr.. Eisenmann because Of !
developments in this committee re.
sarding Mr.. Eisenmann and Mr.. Kap..
an said the senator While Mr..
may be equipped, the reve. !.
ations before this committee, in my
opinion, show that Mr.. Eisennlann
should not be retained in any ca.
)acity',