Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-28


ton.
Gentlemen" said thd secretary, 'it
would be a tragical thing that this mo.
mentous effort should deserve the COM
ment that 1t had fallen down"
Admits Shortcomings.
The impatience of the whole country
to do this thing greatly" probably is-
spired much of the criticism he said.
I'VE look back over the past and see
there have been shortcomings; that
there have been delays There are
things that could have been better
done, but our effort is to learn.
Il have no purpose to defend indi-
viduals nor myself. If l discuss here
individuals by rame. If refer to Cen
eral Crozier or General Sharpe or my
self. it will be only to make it clear. I
am not here to deny shortcomings, but
I think l can say this: That where
we have found shortcomings or mis-
takes we have erdeavored to correct
them. l would request that when a
sllortcom;ng is pointed out to you that
YOU refer it Immediately to me-"
Country Gets Wrong Impression.
From Senator Chamberlain's speech
Mr.. Baker said it had seemed to him
that altho it was not the senators s
Country got the impression that delays
were disproportionate to what was go
ing on.
The secretary said there might be in
stances of shortcomings, "but only in
stances"
When he appeared previously, Mr.
! Baker said it was with the intention
Of being frank, but despite this desire
he said it seems to have left the feel
ing that I was fencing in defense OF
some of my subordinates.'
Courts Investigation.
He denied any such intention and
said when he concluded if there was
anything else the committee desired to
investigate he would do everythi1s
possible IN his power to assist without
fear or favor and to effect any i'm
provement.
Major General Wood, Mr.. Baker said,
recommended calling out a large army
altho the men could not be provided at
once with rifles and clothing.
Every soldier who needs a rifle has
one, Secretary Baker said, and better
type than if the British Enfield rifle
had been adopted.
There are now in the United States
sixteen national army camps and six-
teen national guard camps, filled with
| meI ready to eo," said Secretary Bak-
er. Il do not know row fast 1t may
be necessary to send them to France,
he said, Il know how fast we have sent
them and how fast we plan to send
them. What we try to do is to get
them oct as rapidly as possible.
| Defends Lack Of Lewis Guns.
Defending the lack of Lewis machine
guls Secretary Baker reiterated that
General Pershing does not want Lewis
guns for tho ground forces but only Cor
aviation.
Declaring that by securing artillery
from France, Mr.. Baker said it would
save ships.
Il am telling no. secret when say
that ships are the crux Of our proc
lem," he said. He continued that all
foreign representatives and the war
! congress participants, headed by Col
onel House, declared that securing
ordnance from England and France will
not take supplies they need.
Complaints Are Few.
The secretary said that when he
heard of the two letters read by Sena-
tor Chamberlain concerning bad treat
ment Of six soldiers he Immediately
asked Mr.. Chamberlain for all the de-
tails.
"Altho more than 100000 men are
| under arms in this country the number
of complaints received have been rela-
lively small, probably not more than
eighteen"
Some reports have not proved SER
ious upon investigation.
I'm the case Of the body Of an officer
who died at an aviation training school
being shipped home in a Sheet" he
said, Investigation developed that the
! camp was in charge of a British officer
who followed the British customs Of
sending the body home in a sheet, the
clothing being sent in separate par
eel. An American officer then was put
in charge"
Better Care Than at Home.
Secretary Baker read letter from
Mrs. Mary Roberts Rhinehart, the writ
er, who has a son in the service, COM
mending hospital conditions. .MrsJRhjne-
\
Chamberlain's tragic letters
But I feel ' the mothers Of the
country should know, wrote Mrs. Rhine
hart. that the number fsuch cases
is small. OF cruelty and Indifference
have found nothing. Ninety-nine out Of
100 boys are receiving better care than
they could afford at home"
Defends Ordnance Department.
Taking up the charges, against the
ordnance department the secretary
said men differed as to the guns to be
used. He then disclosed that decision
to adopt the so-called rechambered
Enfield rifie was reached late one
night in his office at conference at
tended by General Pershing, who was
preparing to go to France; General
Scott, chief of staff; General Bliss, as
sistant chief to General Crozier, and
General Kuhn, then head Of the war
college, and several other staff officers,
experts in rifles" 1t was late in May
or early in June.
The American Springfield rifle, he
said, was admitted the best omilitary
rifle developed in any country when
this decision was reached. There were
in stock about 100000 Of them. It was
not then known, he contended, whether
American troops would fight beside the
British or French. The British used a
rim cartridge rifle of one caliber and
the French used rim fire gun of an
other calibre.
The excellence Of the American wea-