The Washington herald., 1918-10-14
BAKER ESCAPES
U-BOAT COMING
FROM FRANCE
Arrives on Ghost Ship"
That Travelled Abreast
of Lost Hirano.
URGES ALL WAR SPEED
Liberty Loan Must Uphold
Victorious Advance of
Troops, He Says.

Whatever the result Of the peace
proposals. the War Department must
proceed at fun speed with men and
supplies" This was the comment on
the German peace talk last night
from Secretary aBker, on his return
from a visit OF more than a month
to the front
Exhuberant with confidence Of great
victory and praise OF the bravery
Of the Americans, Secretary Baker
arrived early yesterday. morning at
an Atlantic port aboard the Northern
Pacific, called by the Germans the
ghost ship" and only narrowly es-
Gaping the German submarine that
sank the Hirano Maru q few DAYS
ago. with 800 lives lost, the HIrano
being approximately abreast Of the
ghost ship on a course some miles
away
1t became known last night that
Secretary Baker. aboard the same YES
sci on the way across after he left
here August 30. was in danger of
the U-boat that torpedoed the Mount
Vernon, pursuing aocurse through the
same waters,
The Ghost Ship" missed the fate
OF the Hirano Maru only through the
extreme precautions taken to protect
the Secretary OF War and his party,
which included John D. Ryan, Second
Assistant Secretary Of War; Brig.
Gen. Frank /. Hines chief of tire
embarkation service: Walter Clifford,
director Of the Council OF National
Defense; Julius Rosenwah, of the
council; Capt r. z. Christie, tr.. aide
to Mr.. Ryan; Joseph Hostetter, of
Cleveland ynrT1on, To-
retary Baker, and Charles Day, Of
the United States Shipping Board.
Course Was Directed.
The presence OF a submarine lurk-
ing in the course IN which the Hirano
was sunk was spotted" and the
Northern Pacific was diverted. The
Secretary had the protection Of naval
convoy. however only for two DAYS
out Of Brest, which was cleared Oc-
tober s at daylight. The rest Of the
way she came alone, making the
sneed that earned her the German
Ghost Ship sobriquet-twenty-fiv
knots-So fast that, as the German
submarine prisoners have said, when
submarine sights her on the horizon
and dives to make a course that Will
intercept her and then rises to at
tack, the Ghost Ship Is on the
other horizon. Some ghostly simili-
tude is lent by the fact that the ves-
sci does not betray herself till hull
up on the sky line. as she is an OIL
burner with special smokeless de-
vices.
Secretary Baker saw both battles Of
st. MihieI and described the taking
of the town and wiping out of the
~ Lx
est concentration Of artillery and air
craft ever seen in this war. He en-
tered the town the morning after
the. evening 1t was evacuated
Trip Was Successful
Discussing the purposes of his trip
to the front and his experiences there,
Secretary Baker said in part:
My trip abroad was principally for
the purpose OF arranging further CO.
operation in the matter of shipping
for troops and supplies. 1t was en-
tirely successful. and a complete un-
derstanding has been reached which
assures the American army adequate
cargo tonnage for its support The
matter was taken UP with the Inter
Allied Maritime Transport Council and
the cooperation of the British,
Freench and Italian governments was
heartily given.
Many questions involving co-opera-
ton on the part of the several gov
ernments were taken up and salts
factorily settled.
with regard to shipping. aircraft.
ordnance and other parts Of the allied
program. the contribution which the
United States can make is rendered
definite ond the means OF accomplish
meut are arranged"
Loan Must BE Rushed.
When asked about the liberty
loan, Secretary Baker said:
The allied armies are now in the
full tide of VICTORIOUS advance.
American divisions are fighting
with the British. with the French
everywhere the enemy is in re-
treat and disorder.
THE army has done and is doing
all that a proud and grateful coun-
try could ask. and the time has
come for US to put in every ounce
of our strength to assure its COM
plete victory. I
The people at home have q SOL
ISspOusiblllNy eho'
in the final result. The liberty loan
must go over the top.
Its success Is both our message
| of gratitude to the boys who are
Drawing wars worst perils in de-
fense Of our liberties and q mes
sage to Germany that our people
at home are as resolute as our sol
diers are brave. Whatever the re-
NrAN4eola
War Department must proceed at
full speed with men and supplies"
Tells of st. MfhieL
Secretary Baker then told of see
! ing the two battles at St. Aihiel
'sThe battle of St Mihiel," he said,
started the present triumphant ad-
vance of the allied armies. From .
| fortified hill overlooking the battle
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