New Britain herald., 1918-02-06

Witness Says Under Cross-Exanl- nation Given Proper Schooling in s,Frmnoe-More Troops Transferred Over Ocean Than Was Antici- pated.
 Washington, Feb. 6.-When Secre- tary Baker came up for cross exam ination today before the senate mili- taTy committee on his statement that there would be 500,0OO American troops in France early this year, and million more before winter, g. hitch developed as to whether it will be proper to have the secretary answer such question in public
 While the senators were discussing whether to continue in public session or go into private meeting the Secre- tstry explained that perhaps he had been unfortunate in making his origi- nal statement to the committee by given his general opinions rather than the exact facts and details pre- pared by experts having the subject in charge. He proposed that he be permitted to prepare such statem ents, present them to the committee and re- turn for cross examination later.
 The principal point of the whole controversy-the question of where the army is going to get ships to trans port a million men to France this year-was left untouched, partly be- cause the secretary did not have the figures to show the committee on what basis he made his assertion and partly because the committee got into B. Squabble over whether it will be proper to have the secretary disclose the figures in public.
 The upshot of it was that the uues- ton of ships was left to be presented in detailed exact statements to the committee or in secret session to- morrow and the cross examination went on to other questions of a gen. eral nature.
 Secretary Bakers cross examina- tion was begun by Senator Weeks of Massachusetts, republican, in connec- ton with the number of troops to be sent abroad this year.
 On January 1, Secretary Baker said, more troops had been trans ported to France, including both non-combatant and fighting forces, than had been planned.
 Secretary, Baker and Senator Weeks agreed it was improper to disclose the number of American troops now in France.
 Transportation of fighting troops were temporarily reduced, said Sec retary Baker, in discussing the ship ping situation, by the necessity of sending larger engineering forces. The shipping board and war de- l,,n T contact, exhaustively studying the shipping situation. Gen. Bliss, he said, took the information abroad as a basis of calculation in connection with the shipping situation. About 130,000 tons additional have recently been secured
 Senator Weeks asked if it were true , that the war department had 791, 900 tons of ships available for transport ing troops on February 1. Secretary Baker did not know, but thought that an underestimate.
 In his former statement that 8 million men more probably could be sent to France this year, the secretary explained he did not depend wholly on American ships in his calculation. Senator Hitchcock said that on Nov. 30 the shipping board advised him the total gross available Amer jean tonnage was 582 ships of 3,721,- 8O6 tons, including tankers and for mer German and Austrian ships. Secretary Baker said he could not es- innate how many troops that ton mage would supply.
 " Secretary Baker said he had not determined whether troops would be kept in the southern camps next sum- mer. If the summer weather was as extreme as this winter has been, he said, some would have to be moved
 American tonnage losses he said, have been exceedingly slight. 'The service the navy has rendered in the A protection of the army" he said has been unexampled."
 Secretary Baker gave the opinion that new legislation would be desir- able to give the president general rowers to transfer and coordinate functions of various apartments as conditions arise
 Possibility that the actual purchas- ing power for the war department may be largely placed in the hands ot Edward R. Stettinus surveyor genera was indicated by Secretary Baker.
 MT. Stettinus is relied upon to dc this thing" he said.
 Statements attributed to Ilort Northcliffc saying preparations wer' being made in America for raisins an army but little was being done tC provide for it's transportation acros the ocean, were read by Senate Hitchcock.
 Secretary Baker said he had no heard of the statement and coulc not rCnembc" if the subject haf