Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-02-01
BAKER TELLS OF PROGRESS
War Preparations Have Made Won
derfuI HeadWay.
MIGHTY ARMY IN SHORT TINE

Ready to Go-The One Big Problem
is That of Transport Facilities, ana
as Soon as the Boats are Ready the
Men Can Go Over.
Washington. January 2S.-America
will have an army of half a million
men in France early this year, with a
million more trained and equipped
ready to follow as quickly as ships
can be provided to carry them. and the
outlook for this Is not unpromising.
Secretary Baker gave this informa-
tion to the nation and to the world to-
day in a statement before the senate
military committee. barring much that
until now has been carefully guarded
with the army's military secrets. IN
answering charges that the govern
mcnt has broken down preparing for
war;
From carly morning until late art
crnoon the secretary addressed inc
committee and crowd, including
many members OF both houses OF con-
grcss, gathered in n big hearing room
of the senate office building. he
spoke eXtemporaneously, beginning
with details Of the mammoth task OF
building an army of million ana
half. answering such complaints Of In
efficiency as were cited by Senator
Chamberlain in his recent speech and
declaring that such instances were
isolated and not general. Some ques-
lions were asked. and Mr.. Baker, from
time to time. had assistants go TO the
tclcphonc for reports on specific ques-
tions.
Toward the close OF the day. Sec
rotary Baker delivered Il dramatic
general statement of the American
war plan. telling of the coming OF the
allied missions. Of the day and night
conferences with men from the scene
Of battle in which the plans now be-
ing executed We're adopted. ana OF
success beyond the most Sanguine eN :,
pcctatiors in building the army ana
its industrial support ut home, trans
porting men across the ocean. con-
structing railroads in France ana
preparing to strike the enemy with
every resource at the countrys COM
mand.
When MIR. Baker closed. II wasap.
parent he had created profounu
impression. chairman chamberlain
said so before he left the stand.
There was no attempt at cross-cX-
animation. The chairman proposed
that the secretary be gwen resi-, ana
Il virtually was agreed TO recall MN
i'm,
the committee has completed its
hearing of officers of the medical
cnrps. aviation section and other
branches of the service.
Committee Amazed.
While many things disclosed inn
presscd. the committee was frankly
when -.eld
National Guard and National army
divisional camps are ready to go TO-
lay at need. When members wanted
10 know why such things had not
been given publicity before, Mr.. Bak-
y spoke of the reluctance OF military
men TO reveal their war plans ana
quoted German remarks about Amer
'ca's advertisement of her prepara-
tions.
Emphasizing that he was not there
10 defend himself or anybody else,
the secretary urged the committee
tgain and again 10 lay bare any
shortcoming or failure of the depart
.!lent that il might be corrected. Frc-
.,uently he paused to seek stronger
language to describe the devotion OF
HIS associates in the department.
military and civilian.
FOR one reason or another, ne
said. the impression has gone ou,
'nto the country. 10 some extent al
least, that the war department has
fallen down.
Would Be Tragieal.
1T would be a tragical thing if
this tremendous effort, this wholly
inureccdcnted sacrifice made by men,
Xtre i'm fact to turn out to deserve
he comment that il had fallen
Town"
Never in the history of time. he
declared, had an army OF its size
been raised, equipped, trained and
prepared for battle AZ had that OF the
United States.
Mr. Baker took personal rcspon-
Sibiity for getting men under train
ng before their equipment was ready
TO the last shoe button" Such Of
liccrs as Mai. Gen. Leonard Wood he
said. had urged this policy. He des-
'ribcd conferences that evolved the
ordnance programme and its fulfill
mcnt, submitting documents to prove
that France and Great Britain were
supplying artillery and machine
guns for the first forces at their own
urgent request in order that ships
might be used for other purposes.
Pershing Approved.
In all that was done prior to the
departure of the first troops, Gen.
Pershing shared in the deliberations
and approved the decisions reached.
Mr.. Baker said. and now surrounded
with a staff OF trained regular officers
who could we'll he spared from the
gr,ut task at home, Pcrshing Is In
France as the eyes Of the army,
every step taken since has been
founded on his long daily cable reports
uf what is going on at the lighting
fronts.
Tables were cited to show that
ovcrcrowding in the camps and can.
tonmcnts had not been general and
hat the sickness had come mostly
in the camps. where medical opinion
had agreed it was least to be expect
cd The history Of the development
and building of the cantonments was
given in detail to show that every
precaution possible had been taken.
Analyzing the efforts of the ord
nance bureau, the secretary said that
General Croz'er had urged for years
greater artillery preparation; that
he at least had realized the gun
making required. But even France
herself. with the enemy at her
throat" lie added. had not been able
TO see what vast gun programmes the
war would lead into.
During his general statement OF the
war plan and how II had developed
Mr.. Baker was rarely interrupted.
During his statement to the COM
mittee Mr.. Baker said: :.
When We started into this war !
think 1t was commonly thought
throughout the country that our cor
tributon at the outset might well ee
financial and industrial. The indus
tries of this country we're largely de-
voted at that time to the manufac-
ture Of war materials for our allies.
las l suggested this morning when
we went into that market We found
IT largely occupied. 50 that our PROB
lem was not going to a shoe factory
and saving, Make shoes for US, but