New-York tribune., 1918-01-14
MIR. Bakers Testimony

fore the Senate Committee on Military
Affairs Secretary Baker made Il clever
witness. 1t may be conceded that he
showed considerable fnesse in meeting
and DETECTING charges Of inefficiency, in
minimizing delinquencies in organization
and preparation. The general impression
he gave was that of lawyer-lke adroit-
ness in bolstering up a dubious case.
But this is the sort of an impression
that Mr.. Baker could least afford to make.
The present is no time for window dress
ing, for putting the most cheerful face
possible on disquieting appearances, tor
handing out to the public that "reassur-
ance" which it is wrongly supposed to be
seeking. The public wants knowledge,
not reinsurance" 1t prefers the truth,
even though it may be unpalatable, to an
optimistic version of the truth. By light
Eeartedly representing the work of the
War Department as a marvel Of intelli
gent management, as all that could have
been expected under the circumstances,
the Secretary has repelled public SYM
pathy. He has also seriously impaired
the reputation which he had built up as
d man who was modestly and earnestly
striving to rise to the height of the great
responsibilities thrust on him, and who ap-
parently realized how much more would
have to be accomplished before the War
Department would be really up to its task
There was no modesty in the claims
which Mr.. Baker put forth on the wit
ness stand. There was no proper sense
manifested by him of shortcomings,
past and present. And that was un-
fortunate. The country did not expect
Mr.. Baker to be miracle man. 1t real
lied dimly the vast handicaps under which
he has been obliged to work. 1t sensed
in vague way the utter insuffciency of
the old regular army organization. 1t
knew that the two years granted us for
preparation for war-the two years from
May, 1915, when the Lusitania was sunk,
to April, 1917, when war was declared
had been practically wasted, SO far as
the development of an army was con-
Ccrned. 1t was disposed to be charitable;
it would have given a full measure of
charity and of sympathy to a Secretary
who WAS willing on the stand to confess
liietdSlussNy III dNHiCN SilSilt, W dNllllC
frankly the errors of the past and the
bungling of the present and to promise to
profit to the full by the lessons of our
unhappy experiences.
That would have been a broad minded
and ingratiating attitude to take. 1t
would have disarmed criticism and in
spired confidence. But Mr. Baker seemed
to think that even a cautious admission of
nefficiency-ineficienc almost inevitable
under the circumstances-woul alarm the
country. For the sake of "reassurng'
the public he preferred to champion the
miracle man" theory-a theory which
breaks down wherever it is subjected to
the rude test of reality.
In a matter like making war there can
lie no miracles. Before taking office and
for long while after taking office the
Secretary of War seemed to adhere to
MIR. Bryan's belief that 100000 men
would spring to arms within twenty-four
hours after war was declared. Down to
the day when the declaration Of war was
made he was unwilling to go on record
as favoring the creation Of a real army
Or of passing universal service law.
Although Ambassador Gerard must have
informed Washington many months be-
tore of the kaiser's threats against the
United States--of the German govern
ment's purpose to settle with us when the
opportunity should offer-no genuine
preparations for defence were made,
There was much delay in starting such
preparations even after war came We
are paying to-day the penalties of that
negligence, and as one of the men most
responsible for the present underdevelop-
ment of our military strength it would
have been much more becoming on Mr.
Bakers part if he had admitted on the
stand his own share of the blame for the
present military situation, instead of
waving it off with the sprightly generality
that the United States would be in better
shape to-day If it had begun real military
preparation as long as ten or dozen
years ago.
In a great national crisis every man
charged with leadership can afford to be
little humble. No American statesman
ever showed more humility than Lincoln,
who feared praise more than he feared
blame (and certainly got great deal
more blame than he ever got prase) A
man of large calibre rarely praises him.
SELF But Mr.. Bakers testimony before
the Senate Military Affairs Committee
was an almost continuous burst of self