New Britain herald., 1918-01-28

II want to follow these throng1f0cc the very end," said he, "and find out who is responsible in order that I can punish the guilty
 Although more than 100000 men are under arms in this country. Mr. Baker said, the number of complaints received has been relatively small probably not more than IS. Tn each instance, he said, Investigations have Immediately been made Some re- ports, he said, have not proved serious on inquiry, while others had, in which case corrections followed
 In the case of the body of an officer who died at an aviation train ing school being shipped home in a sheet, the secretary said, inquiry de- Yeloped that the camp was in charge of British aviation officer, who fol- lowed the British custom
 Another complaint, of neglect of a patient at Camp Wheeler, he said de- veloped that it was unjustified and re- sulting from the distressed imaginao ton of the widow.
 He told of investigations which re- suited in discharge of Lieut.. Charles w. Cole and Lieut.. John D. Dye for neglect of patients as recently pub- lished.
 "The department sets it's face against that sort of callous disregard of soldiers health" Secretary Baker said T want the doctors and the country to know that their lives and welfare are a responsibility which ] will not permit to be lodged"
 While camp commanders are held responsible for health conditions, the secretary said, the surgeon generals office has daily inspections and he has appointed Dr. John A. Hornsby, hos pital expert, as his personal inspector.
 A telegram from pr. Hornsbv re- garding army conditions which Sena,- tor Chamberlain assailed, disclosed them greatly improved with mortal ity reduced and ample accommoda tions for all sick
 Secretary Baker read letter from Mrs Mary Roberts Rinehart, the writer, who has a son in the service, commenting hospital conditions she recently inspected. Mrs. Rinehart said she was impressed by Senator Cham'berlain's Tragic letters.''
 But I feel the mothers of the country should know" wrote Mrs. Rinehart, that the number of such ca ses is small.
 'It is cruel to allow every mother to join the medical corps because here and there men are unwilling or un- able to give the care that is their duty. There are conditions to be rem medied. The shortage of women nurses is seri- ous But of cruelty and indifference I have found nothing. Ninety-nine out of a hundred boys are receiving better care than they could be offered at home.'
 And I wish to point out further" added the secretary, that the very heads of the medical profession, the masters of the profession, are in con. stant touch with the surgeon general"
 No army could be raised in any country, the secretary continued with out danger from communicable dis eases. All that could be done was to provide every means of science to meet that danger. That he insisted was being done.
 Taking up Senator Chamberlain'9 attack on the ordnance bureau, MT. Baker said that mems minds differed about the types of guns to be used and about the quantity. He then dis" closed that 8 unanim ous decision to adopt the so called re-chambered En- field rife was reached at a conference, attended by Gen. Pcrshing, who waA preparing to go to France; Gen, Scott, chief of staff; Gen. Bliss, assist ant chief; Gen, Crozier, chief of ord" nance, and Gen. Kuhn, then head or the war college, and several other staff officers ''eXperts in rifles.' It was late in May or early in June.
 The American Springfield rife, the secretary said, 'was admittedly the best military rifle developed by any country, when this decision was reached There were in stock about 500, ,000 of them"
 It was not then known, the secre- tary said whether American troops would fight beside the British or the French.
 There are now in the United States sixteen national army camps ana SIX teen national guard camps (thlrty 1 two divisions of troops) filled with 1 men ready to go' said Secretary Baker.
 q do not know how fast it may be necessary to send them to France he