Arizona republican., 1918-01-30
Secretary Bakers Statement

The statement of Secretary of War Baker owes the favorable impression it created to its straight forwardness rather than to any new information 1t set out, for when it is closely followed it is found that it contains little that had not been related in Mr. Bakers recent statement the senate committee on military afars. This statement is more satsfac- tory for the reason that there is less of generalization less of the work of the orator and less of story of the things we are to expect instead of the things already accomplished
 It is not argued by MT. Baker that the de- partment has efficient but that it has done it's best and in doing that it has probably done as well any organization in the circumstances could have lone Efficiency is comparative. What would pass tor efficiency this country with unpreparedness for war, with previous attitude toward war, our failure to perceive that coming. would be lneffciency in a government differently situated. Ehe point made by Mr. Baker is that what has been lone has been done with the best advice available.
 We do not include in this advice any that of fered by General Crozier and General Sharpe who probably chiefly blame for the criticism that has been leveled against the department. Though the secretary dsclams any purpose in his statement to defend them, yet much of his statement was pre- pared in their defense and that has been something of a handicap It is in that part of the statement that some vagueness and generalization appears
 The statement with regard to the purchase of French artillery the of the American troops in France, that the French had more artillery and am
 unition than they needed is undoubtedly true since Mr. Baker says it is true. But the statement is not easily reconcilable with the camor that for months has persisted in Great Britain for artillery and nlunition. English statesmen and English newspa- pers have declared that artillery the thing chiefly sought and never has there been such a combing of the British population for intuition workers.
 We are glad to observe that in this statement Mir Baker did not repeat declaration of his former one that the assembling of the national army was notable military achievement, for that declaration was not impressive. Given the machinery for sembling the in the cantonments. that easily, automatically done Anybody could have done it. Any town council or board of supervisors with that machinery and the power But the men in these can comments did not constitute army any than piles of steel and wood constitute ships. Only the material has been collected.
 The statement that there enough rifles for the soldiers who need them is trifle vague. It does not inform to the number of rifles made since the At that time we had 6000O0 rifles of one pattern and 100000 of another We also know from the statement that there not yet half million men in France. There are, of course rifles for them and for those who to be sent early this year to bring the total of a half million and pre- sumably. there enough there will be enough for those who will more immediately follow.
 The machine gun dispute is not quite disposed of in this statement The conditions at the train ing camps is fairly explained Neither the swords of commendation the hand those of demnation on the other, are to be accepted con- elusive evidence or very material evidence. For while the former truthfuy describe isolated conditions also, do the latter. We may assume that the real conditions lie somewhere between; that the average is fair.
 The statement throughout presents hopeful view While it affords for pengyres it will have the effect of relieving despondency. It estab fishes confidential relation between the people the department. It will go toward silenc- ing criticism in congress.