The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-06

desired to find the basis of Mr.. Bakers
Assurance to the country" that mill
lion men would be transported to
France during 1918.
you said you expected to have L.
100000 men in France in 1918. Now,
how would you supply them?" he con-
tinued.
Mr.. Baker read from his original
statement that he had said a million
and a half troops would be available
for shipment in 1918 and that the
prospect of forwarding them was not
.uppromising."
"why do you think II is not un-
promising?" insisted Senator y n
cock. ct
Secretary Baker replied ibes Sssss'
mates made as to available tonnage
indicated the possibility
When he had made the statement,
Secretary Baker added. there was in
his mind the conclusions of the ship
ping board as to what tonnage it could
produce in 1918. There were other
factors as to shipping. he added, such
as vessels in nonessential trades or on
domestic routes, which might be re-
leased by sailing ships or neutral tom
mage.
Anxious to Tell Them.
81 am asking you for the basis of
your assurance to the country that the
prospect was not unpromising. that we
would have a million men In France in
1918" persisted Senator Hitchcock.
II am anxious to tell you what is in
my mind" answered Secretary Baker,
asking again that he be permitted to
explain his statement as far as possi-
~ inf
nation.
Before Gen. Bliss went to Europe,
he said, the subject was discussed with
members of the shipping board and
others as to the extent to which the
emergency feet corporation would
supplement the existing tonnage" and
the extent that tonnage then avail
able to America would need to be sup
plemented by international arrange
ment in order to carry out the allied
program"
- Secretary Baker said he did not per-
sonally determine the question, but
that it was done by Gen. Bliss and
others.
Upon Senator Weeks suggestion,
the committee dropped the shipping
question until the secretary could get
lTOIll Ills utpdt ~
answer the questions. The,
will be furnished to the committee in
executive session.
Asks About Shoes.
Senator Kirby wanted to adjourn
until tomorrow, when an executive
session would be held, but other sena-
tors objected, and the examination
went on. Senator Weeks then asked
if Secretary Baker knew how many
pairs of shoes were required per man
in the French and English armies Mr..
Baker did not, but said he would OBJ
tain the information. The senator saio
he wanted to know in order to deter
mine if we are buying more shoes
than necessary" Senator Weeks said
he had received a letter in which 1t
was charged that many men in the
army are of German sympathy and
that many Officers and men in con-
versations expressed pro-German SEN
timents."
Proceeding Unfair.
The writer of the letter, he said,
cited an instance of an American Of
ficer being sent home from France by
Gen. Pershing for that reason. The
senator said he had also heard of a |
chaplain who had been dismissed for |
similar reasons.
Secretary Baker said he had received |
no information of such conditions, but |
would make an inquiry.
II don't doubt but that something of
hat sort exists" said the Massachu-
;etts senator. "and / think we ought 1
% make an example of someone"
Senator Reed said il was unfair to !
question the secretary in a large au-
iitorium filed with spect' tors and i'm
1ugning that the army was 'reeking
With treason"
"why should the question be asked
1t ALP the senator demanded.
Senator Frelinghuysen interrupted
md Senator Reed yielded.
81 want to ask a question. which
lope will pass the censor" said SEN
tor Frelinghuysen, with his eyes
ixed on Senator Reed.
Tilt Preeipitsted.
A tilt followed. n which Senator
Reed declared he had not been trying