The evening world., 1918-01-28

Dr Hotn~hy regarding camp condi-
| tiOns senator Chamberlain Bssailed.
lie said when he concluded II there
was anything else the committee de-
| sired to investigate he would do ev-
! Nthlng within his power to assist
/ without fear or favor" and 10 effect
any Improvement.
Secretary Baker read a latter from
! Mrs Mary Roberts Rlnchart, the
writer who had u son in the service.
commencing hospital conditions she
recently inspected Mrs. Rinohart
said she was Impressed by Senator
Chamborlaln's tragic letters"
GETTING BETTER CARE THAN
THEY WOULD At HOME"
But feel the mothers OF the coun-
irv should know" wrote Mrs. Rlne.
hart. that the number OF such cases
~ small II is cruel 10 allow every
mother 10 Judge tho medical corps be-
cause here ana there men arc unwill-
ing or unable TO give the care that is
their duty. There are conditions 10
be rcmedied. The shortage OF women
nurses IL serious. But OF cruelty and
lndinerence ! have found nothing
ninety nino out OF a hundred boys arc
receiving better care than they could
afford at home"
And ! wish 10 point ont further"
added Secretary Baker. that the very
heads or the medical profession. tho
masters OF tho profession. are in con-
stant touch with tho Surgeon Cen
eral"
No army could he raised In any
country, the Secretary contendcd.
without darger from communicable
diseases. All that could be done was
10 provide every means Of science 10
meet that danger. That he insisted
was being done
Taking up Senator Chamberlain's
nttack on the Ordnance Bureau, Mr..
Baker said that mems minds differed
about tho types OF guns 20 be used
and about tho quantity. He then dis
closed that tho decision to adopt tho
so-called re-chambercd Enfield rifle
was reached late one night In May or
June In his office at n conference at
tended by Gen. Pershing. who was
preparing 10 go 10 Frame: Gen. /
Scott Chief OF Staff; Gen Bliss. As
sistant Chief: Gen. CroLier, Chief ot |
Ordnance; and Cen. Kuhn. then head |
OF the War College. and several other !
STAN ofIicers. experts In rihos.' " !
was late in MAY or carly In June.
THERE WERE 100000 RIFLES TO
START WITH.
The American Springfield rire, Sec.
retary Baker said, "was admittedly
the best military rife developed by
any country" when this doeialon was
reached There wore In stock about
500 900 OF them
IL was not then known, Secretary
Baker contonded. whether American
troops would night beside the Britlsh
or tho French. Tho British used
rim cartridge rif,e OF ono calibre ana
tho French rim cartridge gun OF
another calibre. Tho British Govern
mcnt had been prepared TO ro-arm
the entire British army with the En-
f,eld when the war broke out In 19lA
The excellence ~ the American
wea non was 80 well known that the
British decided 70 remodel their guns
but the suddenncss OF the war pre-
vented us from making tho change.
That decision made that night Mr.
pakcr added, referring 10 the con-
ference held at which II was decided
10 change the American rine. mud
tho unanimous consent OF every man
at tho conference
After America entered tho war. Mr..
Baker said. Major Gen. Wood came 10
his office and advocated tho necessity
" calling out large army. Secretary
Rnkcr said there wcrc not the clothes
or arms. but Cen Wood replied he
knew that. but contended tho men
needed TO live together for "prclimin-
nrv training" 10 told Gen. Wood he
A greed that the army should he na-
pcmhlcd - rapidly as possible. hut "
was tho Intention TO build up the I
Regular Army and the National I
Guard. first. and thcn tho National
Army.
Concluding his statement regarding
the decision 90 call many men early I
Secretary Baker said;