The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-02
Secretary Baker Denial
BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT,

q ECRETARY BAKERS denial of any serious SHORTCOMINGS in the admins
traitor of the war department comes under several heads, Part Of it is
explanation or denas OF facts as to which It is easy to get first hand informs-
ton With this part shall deal In my next editorial Par. Of It relates to
Aheeettons . TO which Il Is almost impossible to get first hand information
except from officers whose names cannot be quoted, because this probably would
entail punishment upon them. 1t is with this part that now deal
Genefal Wood two years ago before the congressional committee and again
. year ago before the congressional committee, set forth in detail our unpre-
paredness Every fact he stated has proved to be true and to be but a small
dtat of the truth. Yet he has been singled out for punishment for thus having
,mA congress the truth and this although we and our allies are o paying dearly
~ our failure to act on the truth which he thus told Under such conditions
hb impossible to make public the names Of The officers aud enlisted men through
Nhem We Occasionally learn Of abuse.
Nevertheless, Il is imperative ony to correct the abuses. II the admins
tsdon had not punished General Wood for telling the truth, the complaints
wcsld be yppce' laid before the department and the wrongs remeded. Under
existing cdsNhons Y Is Imperative to call public attention to them.
major general informed me in October that he had 100 rifles for 5000
mn and most strongly felt that these men should not have been brought to the
rnA tor than Another major general told me in explanation of the shortage
a supplies abroad. that one shipload of big coast defense guns had 10 be returned
~ Mem N HUNDREDS sMy HOB Of Mice. md T uouso nv oS.s " ofGes wsfi have N ' sid %s
q ~ 81 csscoas. OF winter understanding Of heavy socks, one quartermaHer
HM8 xnahs 0hsr~Iss 70 get wooden gloves for the men m cold weather finally
IN hon te Red Cross and was officially reprimanded for so doing
ySR1HQ 6gcSn INFORMED me that when In France there was q shortage Of
- sIFAg rts Md 4 xs due to a shpmen. of cohfns. one being told that
aMv MMe ~ rscJay ccHins. but boxes containing grave clothes
*E@4te nNerAeM correspondents repeatedly have told OF the shortage of shoes.
H. scsnt sse11sst bams that = shipment Of clay pigeons, not eofns, was
G&hnaM 4. hsSjnI cots At any rate the shortage Of shoes E unque.tioned
M49IsMs elfce 49, taken BY cofhns, clay pigeons o hospital cots
l4A "A lsadiae Now York buaanes' man has Just written ne,of the complete lack
ZN1o3pl m medcal facilities 10 one camp The superintendent of a Bible
LIZ 8tkhG seDpi writes that his son volunteered. leaving a wife and two
MAe1!.as Nat Ne ry was more than q month in arrears, and that at
&&MS 1we rN yet received os November pay At this time Of the year
g1esy Mnt Z - Themselves; they want to send some little thing home
r. = pais ss@stSiHe from daddy y, means an -. 90 much nj i'es YET ct . sn' as atf 1%it
&s = em4s "a Can yu not bring this to- the attention Of the people
M1 f<ssstd many hundreds such appeals To give the names Of the
tss.s ns,r punishment t. To pay no heed TO their appeals means
g = ss'ss: 81 s.ss ossS es:s: C. !; sss:.. sS:.e ia' sns &. i ,. I s9s,
= Ssass" H. II X s .,'s sans have = bee" %, more s' 'aa
<e6s $500 zAa~. CITY .~.