Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-29

as actual military operations were concerned, and letting the allies do the fighting.
 What he says we should have done, and ask your particular attention to it, is this.
 We should have strained every energy to have gotten from 50,O00 to 100 900 men to France this year.
 Exceeded Programme of Editor.
 '"rhat is. the year 1917 I tell no se- cret, but it is perfectly well known tc everybody i;; this group that we have far eXceedo2 what in August, 1917, was regarded as programme so ideal that the editor of this magazine refers to it as >a thing which we ought to- have strained every nerve in vain but hopeless effort to accom- plish." .s---4--.sa
 In response to a question by Chair man Chamberlain, the secretary said the United States did not have more than the minimum number of men in France in August. J1917.
 He continued:
 And then the editor goes on: And hy next year, 1918. we could have had s00,500 men to send over, or any part of 500,000 men which we could ship
 More Than 100000. Men in France. Now, instead of having 50OOO or 100,0 900 men in France in 1917. we have many more men than that in France i anG ifstead of having half of million men who1n sve could ship to France if we could frd guy way to do it in 1918. we vii! have more than one-half mil lion men in France early in 1913. and we have available. if the transporta- tlon facilities are available to us. and /: the prospect is not unpromising one and one-half million who in 1918 can ; bs shipped to France"
 : Replies to Senator Weeks. i Senator Weeks asked whether the secretary knew who. wrote the editor- , iai, and Mir Baker said he thought it i was attributed to MT. Wiggin. the edi i tor-in- chief.
 ] Why" asked Chairman Chamber lain. "have you not felt it proper to : let the public into your confidence with i reference to the things that you are | telling now?"
 Senator, I confess I have hesitated and l still hesitate replied the sec retary. "I have here a statement from Field Marshal Won Hindenburg. in which he is quoted as saving in a German newspaper, in contemptuous fashion of us. that we have advertised our preparations for this war in an unworthy manner"
 Do you think. for a moment, Sec retary Baker" said the chairman 1 ''that there has been any time within the last year that the German secret service has not, been fully advised as to everything we have done?"
 Germany is Mys+ified.
 'Yes. Senator, know. If I may re- ly. upon the confidential information which we get from confidential sources the German government is stif1 mgs tified as to the number of men we have in France. or have had there al any time"
 The chairman said he doubted this Alter some discussion as to the policy or governments in announcing mill. tary secrets, MT. Baker said it was not the policy of the American or other governments to do so and added: T am saying this now, because yol have asked me why I have held bach these facts until now. I am saying t you that you could not get from Grea Britain at this minute I do not know whether I could get the number of sol diers Great Britain has in France ol at home. I could get an approxima ticn; could get whatever information might be deemed helpful to the i'm mediate military object to be accom- plished, but could not get from Grea
 Britain or France sither one. the act ual number of troops they have at tn, ) front.
 Preeaution is Necessary. '1t may be that that precaution i
 unnecessary, and yet that is the pre-
 caution which military men have ob
 served, and have no further point t
 make in the matter of the number o , troops there than to show, as wa [ showing when read that extract, tha , our original intention was to make ou military effort in 1918; and in Angus of 1917 jealous advocate of immedi
 ate military activity laid down as tn
 maximum obtainable programme @
 thing which has since been multifok exceeded
 Il Decided to Send Troops to France. Why we decided to send troops t France in 1917? It is no secret. Whe : Marshal Joffre came to this countr from France, whe'g te British missio came from Franc, icy told us of tn
 situation which W. lad ot up to tha , time, fully appret ated. There ha
 been in France recently y. iueted be fore that an unsuccessful ]. ljor offen 's slve. The French people .Ad sN'are