Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-11
BAKER SAYS
ARMY DELAY
WAS PROPER
Secretary of War Defends
Dilatory Ordnance Bureau
After Reading Long, Self
Congratulatory Statement
to Senators.
ADMITS WORK COULD
HAVE BEEN HURRIED

Washington, D. c., Jan. 10.-Secre-
tary Baker today replied to criticisms
of his departments conduct of the
war, in long and exhaustive prepar-
ed statement presented to the senate
military committee.
Conceding delays and errors Of
judgment in so vast an undertaking,
Secretary Baker epitomized his reply
in these words:
"No army of similar size in the his
tory of the world has ever been raised,
equipped or trained SO quickly. No
such provision has ever been made
for the comfort, health and general
well being of an army"
SUBSTANTIAL" ARMY IN FIELD.
America now has an army of Sub
stantial" size ready for active service,
Secretary Baker told the investigat-
ing committee today.
Officers and men, he explained in a
statement Of the mobilization accom-
plishments, have been trained special
ly for modern warfare. Independent
lines of communications and supply
are in process of construction, he add
ed, and great programs have been for
mulated for the production of new in
struments of war.
SAYS MEN ARE WELL ARMED.
Arms of the most modern and effec-
tive kind, the secretary declared, have
been provided for every soldier in
France and are available for every
fighting man who can be sent to
France in 1918.
An army Of nearly 1.500, 900 men, en-.
listed and selected without serious dis
location of the nations industries, Is
now in the field or training at home
and abroad, he asserted. The subsist-
ence OF the army, he c0ntirs4ed;; has
! been above criticism while its initial
clothing supply, temporarily made.
quate, is now substantially complete
APPROVES RIFLE DELAY.
After Secretary Baker finished his
statement Senator Chamberlain took
up the subject of rifles.
Abandonment Of the Springfield rifle
and adoption of the modified Enfield
he said. has been much criticised.
81 think the delay was due to the
action Of the ordnance bureau in
changing the type" said Secretary
Baker II personally approved that
delay. think the ordnance bureau
acted right" He added that the de-
lay operated to furnish larger supply
later of an improved rifle, adding that
all men sent to Europe have ample
rifles and now all men in training are
we'll supplied.
COMPARISON WITH ENGLAND.
Several senators joined in the ques
tioning to show that the rifle produc.
ton was permitted to lag when it was
certain that the country was about to
go to war, but Secretary Baker per
sisted that the delay in changing mod
els had in the end produced a much
desired result He pointed out that
eight months after England went to
war British soldiers were training in
top hats and with walking sticks, and
insisted that American rifle produc'
ton is now so far ahead OF the de-
mand that all men who will be called
will have enough.
Turning to criticism Of the machine
gun situation, Senator Chamberlain
said there was delay in ordering Lewis
guns that had been used successfully
by England.
"MATTER OF JUDGMENT"
There was no delay after last
April" replied Secretary Baker.
Yes. there was. Mr.. Secretary" re-
torted the senator.
Secretary Baker continued by recit.
ing the machine gun controversy that
existed when he became secretary.
Senator McKellar thought the delay
was unreasonable,
"Well, it's a matter Of judgment y,
said Mr.. Baker.
M'kELLER is CRITIC.
Secretary Baker told of the board
to investigate machine guns.
"The boards deliberations never
delayed for one second the buying Of
any gun after last April" said Mr..
Baker positively.
"The fact remains that nine months
after the war began cantonments
have none for training?" said Senator
McKeller.
81 wouldn't say none. Secretary
Baker replied. They have relatively
few
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
Before the war the largest machine
gun program was 10000" he added.
while now 100000 are required with
manufacture difficult and slow
Are you entirely satisfied, so far
as all ordnance is concerned with the
progress the department has made?"
asked Senator Weeks.
CAN'T LIST FAILURES.
Il don't say that the department
might not have expedited some phases
of its work." Secretary Baker replied.
"In what have We failed?"
The secretary hesitated and
answered.:
81 can't answer that way. I can't