Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-29


abroad this year and as long thereaf.
ter as possible.
READS BLISS REPORT.
Referring to Colonel Houses mill
tary aides, Secretary Baker said:
I ut was their task to find out from
the British, French and Italian repre-
sentatives the answer to this question:
How can America contribute most to
the early winning of the war;
Zone of the answers was for more
rapid expedition Of American forces to
Europe. 1t was agreed that both Eng
land and France have surplus ord
nance, ordnance ammunition and man
ufacturing capacity
General Bliss report, as read by
Secretary Baker in part, follows:
ut was agreed by representatives OF
Great Britain and France that their
production of ordnance is now estab-
lished on SO large a scale that they
are able to equip all American troops
arriving in 1918 with ordnance of the
best types. It is recommended that
they be supplied in 1918 and as long
thereafter as it's found convenient
from British and French gun fac.
tories"
BUYS ANTLAlRcRAFT GUNS.
II have seen in the newspapers"
Mr.. Baker continual that this is
putting burden on France. say to
you, gentlemen, that Marshal Joffre
and his associates, General Bridges
and all his associates of Great Britain,
and in fact all persons of commissions
that have come to this country with
any knowledge of conditions, all bring
me the confident and positive assur-
ance that we are not only not taking
from England and France the things
they need, but are helping their indus
trial processes, saving tonnage and
making proper co-ordinated military
efforts with our allies"
Statistics of manufacture in this
country of artillery were given by
Secretary Baker, some publicly and
some to the committee in confidence.
He said for example the first three
inch anti-aircraft gun was delivered
this month and that its production is
rising steadily to an estimate Of 300
per month maximum.
FASTER THAN FRANCE.
49," he said. in recapitulating. Il
think it is fair to say, land if there is
a possibility that am wrong, I want
it called to my attention), that the
American army in France, large as it
is, and the American army to be sent
there, large as that is, are and will be
provided with artillery Of the type
they want as rapidly as they can use
it, and that our own stream of manu-
facture to supplement this is in pro-
cess with the delivery of pieces rising
steadily
Referring to letter from Captain
Tardieu to General Crozier dated De-
cember 81 last Secretary Baker read
the statement that the output of big
guns in France did not become ade.
quate until 1916. Captain Tardieu ex-
pressed the belief that the United
States would make faster progress
than had his own country.
ALLIES PRE.EMPTED FACTORIES.
The total of British munition con-
tracts placed in the United States
over a period of three years, Secre-
tary Baker showed, exceeded billion
dollars. The United States, he said,
has placed greater orders in the same
market during period of seven
months.
ct is fair to assume" he said, in
comparing the figures, that Great
Britain was getting at least the major
ity part of what we could produce.
When we came into the field we found
it in part pre-empted by our allies.
Our necessity was to introduce our
program without displacing that of
our allies. The ordnance bureau has
averaged twenty contracts day since
we went into the war"
SHELL FACTORIES CLOSED?
Senator Frelinghuysen said he I'M
derstood the shell making capacity OF
the country had dropped IS per cent
after the United States entered the
war, the war department having per
mitted plants to go out of business
and dismantle.
Secretary Baker said he had no in.
formation on that point, but would
obtain it for the committee. He sug-
gested that plants built and owned by
the British government might have
been dismantled and shipped to Eng
land.
Senator Sutherland said negro
preacher had told him that his son at
Camp Meade. Md. had been supplied
with cast off clothing of white sol
diers and no wooden Undertaking.
Secretary Baker said he would investi-
gate, but declared there was no dis
elimination in the treatment of white
and negro troops.
UNIFORMS ALL WOOL.
Secretary Baker said the idea had
gotten abroad that the American army
uniform is part shoddy. He declared
it is all wool and that shoddy is put
only in overcoats and blankets
when we went into war" he said,
"the standard Of the army uniform
was IS per cent wool and Is per cent
cotton. But that was changed and
now every yard is of virgin wool. with
a large increase in its strength
Senator Frelinghuysen called Mr.,
Bakers attention to testimony before
the committee from Colonel Lindsey,
uuartermaster inspector at Phila'
delp, that a contract for uniform cloth
containing shoddy had been let.
100000 SHELLS IN MAKING.
Resuming his statement after the