Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-28
FALSEFRONT
IS CAvED IN
BY WAR HEAD
Secretary Reveals Absurd.
ity of Claim Department
Fell Down"

War Baker began his reply to Senator
Chamberlain charges of inefficiency
at 1885 O'Clock this morning before
the senate military affairs committee.
He asked not to be interrupted.
The secretary began making YER
bal statement without manuscript. He
was seated at the committee members
table. Mr.. Baker said his Statement.
was not exactly supplementary to Hill
recent one to the committee but a
comprehensive statement On all army
activities in the war, especially reply
ing to the charge that the war depart
ment had fallen down" The mill
tary committee early today abandoned
Its plan to begin the hearing in its
own small committee room and ar
ranged to have it in a large senate
office building room, where the lobby"
Ind campaign contribution investiga-
ions we're held
At the outset the secretary said he
thought much criticism came from i'm
patience of the American people ito
10 this great thing greatly"
He conceded freely that in great en-
terprises it was impossible that there
should not be delays and shortcom-
ings.' The confidence of the country,
however, he said. was necessary to
the tremendous effort
Speech Gave Wrong Aspect.
The mistakes cited in Senator
Chamberlain's speech, Secretary
Baker declared, gave a disproportion-
ate aspect. Without intent he said,
the effect of the senator's speech was
to give the country the impression
that the deficiencies were character
!stic rather than occasional"
He said he was not there to defend
individuals or deny delays and false
starts.
But l think ! can say in confidence
that in them we have sought the rem
edy."
That there are more than a million
men under arms in this country was
stated by Secretary Baker in referring
to the cases of alleged neglect of the
dead in camp cited by Senator Cham
berlain.
Hits Talk of "FalI Down."
For one reason or another the i'm
preston has gone out into the coun-
try to some extent that the war de-
partment has fallen down in the con-
duct of the war said Secretary
Baker. Il want to address myself to
that question.
There are several reasons why I
should ask the committee to hear me.
first, the country is entitled to know
II that is a fact. The country is en-
Titled to know what this war is and
what the problems are and how we
are to meet them Second | have a
deep sense of duty to the officers and
civilians that are laboring with devo-
Ton, sacrifice and zeal and are spend
ing sleepless nights to bring this army
up to Its greatest efficiency and sue
cess"
Describing the spirit of army Off
GERS, Secretary Baker said he had seen
strong, grjzzled men turn away from
lheir desks in tears" when they had
found that they could not go to
france, where the glory OF their pro-
iesslon lay but must remain in
washington TO press forward war
PREPARATIONS. There was no case, he
added. Of any officer who had not az
e,epted his duty with his whole heart
wen OF high places in civil life
throughout the country he said. had
Wme TO Washington to accept salaries
W ONCE boys, many no salaries at all
" place their experience at the dis
posal OF the nation.
ltpntlf 10
speaking with & eat earnestness. at
would be ragical thing if this mo-
mehtous effort were to deserve the
"mment that it had fallen Gown"
Effort Must BE TO Learn.
The Impotence of the whole country
W do this thing greatly" he said
probably inspired much of the crit
.eism. Every one Of us wants TO see
WI country hit like a man al the ad-
sersary
We look back over the past and
~ That thee have been shortcom-
rks' that there have been delays
mere are things that could have been
N''er done. But our effort is TO learn
Defending Nobody.
II, nave no purpose TO defend lndi-
saaIs or myself II ! discuss hero
raa'Guals by name II ] refer IL
ssperai CrOzier or General Sharpe or
assef. II will be only to make il
Ear. II any OF us should figure in
orrow's casualties il would be as
l"nlng beside the object we all seek
sm not here to deny shortcomings
think ! can say this: That
ovfe We have found such shortcom-
~ Or mistakes we have made every