Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-02-08

SoAAAs ~ AOAos ~
} French and English army. Mr.. Baker
did not, but said he would obtain the
information. The senator said he
wanted to know in order to determine
II we are buying more shoes than are
necessary"
| PRO-GERMANs IN ARMY?
Senator Weeks said he had received
a letter in which it was charged that
many men in the army are Of German
sympathy and that many officers and
men in conversations expressed pro-
German sentiments.
The writer of the letter, he said
cited an instance of an American OIL
Ger being sent home from France by
General Pershing for that reason.
The senator said he had also heard
OF chaplain who had been dismissed
for similar reasons.
Secretary Baker said he had received
no information of such conditions, but
would make an inquiry.
WEEKS REToRTS TO REED.
II don't doubt but that something OF
that sort exists" said the Massachu-
sets senator "and think we ought to
make an example of some one"
Senator Reed said it was unfair to
iquestion the secretary in large audi
forum filled with spectators and "im-
pugning that the army was reeking
with treason"
at all?" he demanded.
! "Tm not responsible for calling the
secretary into a large auditorium"
Senator Weeks broke in, II think this
examination should have been held as
all others-in the committees own
room. have no desire to exploit any
thing in public"
REED is REsENTFUL.
"The secretary himself asked in
letter to the chairman" Senator New
, Of Indiana interrupted, that the meet
/ ing be held in large room where all
senators and representatives who de.
i sired could attend"
Senator Reed said he was somewhat
inclined to the view that it would be
better to put "all our cards on the
table,"
1T might be WELL" he said, "to say
we have got SO many men and so many
guns and so many ships and we are 60
ing to be in Europe in a certain time;
but that is not the way we are pro-
ceeding."
Senator Frelinghuysen interrupted
and Senator Reed yielded.
II want to ask question which !
hope will pass the censor" said Sen
ator Frelinghuysen with his eye fixed
on Senator Reed.
A tilt followed in which Senator Reed
declared he was not trying to censor |
the meeting"
Senator Frelinghuysen turned to
Secretary Baker with the statement |
that the committee was not interested |
in the punishment Of medical officers |
found negligent but in the protection !
of the men in the camps. He said Sur
geon General Gorgas had stated to the |
committee that he lacked authority to
draw the public health service into the !
camp sanitation work.
Has that subject been given any |
consideration he asked.
Secretary Baker said the recommen-
dations Of the American Public Health, |
association had been adopted with the
approval of the surgeon general Of the /
HEALTH WELL IN HAND
"T'ien you think that you have tho
health Of the men we'll in hand?" said |
Senator Frelinghuysen.
Yes"
do you expect to keep soldiers in
mer?"
81 can't answer" the secretary re-
piled.
1t depends much on the nature Of the
summer weather, he said. II it should
be comparatively as severe as the win
ter he said, it will be necessary to
move some Of the troops.
MEN TRAINED ABROAD
Declaring that Everybody knows
enlisted men. in the camps have never
been trained with artillery or machine
guns Senator Mcclellan asked the /
secretary if he thought it wise to send
men to France unframed.
Secretary Baker replied that many
artillery officers are being trained in
France at a school turned over by the
French and that it took more time to
train artillerymen than officers.
THE plan of the department" the
secretary added, lis to give as much
training in this country as possible by
concentrating artillery supplies in units
likeliest to go first to France but in no
case for them to be used in combat I'M
til their training is completed on the
other SIDE therefore do not think it
unwise to send men over who are not
completely trained
WOULD SEND RAW RECRUITS
rs it unwise to send men not train
ed at all, men who have never seen
artillery or machine guns?" asked
Senator Mcclellan. asserting that L
major had told him that at his camp
only the commanding general had
ever seen six inch gun.
Yes, I think it would be right; that
is. do not think it would be right to
send unframed men into combat but
| would not hesitate, If the necessity
arose, to send raw recruits to France
to be trained there and adequately
trained, If General Pershing thought it
the wisest thing to do They can be II
trained in France as we'll as here"
TRAINING is COSTLY
Senator Mcclellan asserted, and Sec
ROT iox ad1aittod that