Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-29
OF WAR
DECLARES CRITICS
MAGN|F|ED ERRORS
Reviews Record of Achieve
nient of War Department.
Says Mistakes Have Been
Corrected When Found

WASHINGTON, Jan 2s-Secretary
Baker, in long personal statement to-
day before the senate military commit
tee replied to Senator Chamberlain.s
charges of ineficiency and breakdown
in the war department..
Without prepared manuscript and in a
frank conversational manner the Secre-
tary or war told the senators he came
to defend no mistakes or shortcomings,
but to insist most emphaticany that
DEFICIENCIES where disclosed had prompt
ly been remedied; that they were the ex-
ception rather than the rule, and that
the very magnitude Of Americas under
taking made errors of judgment and
mistakes likely.
Incidentally, in defending the war
machinery against the charge of inef-
ficiency and lack of initiative to prepare
for war when war was assured, the SEQ
rotary disclosed some facts hitherto held
confidential.
France and Great Britain, he said, are
supplying artillery to the American
forces as they had an excess on hand
and because they wished to save ships
for more vital necessities.
Thirty-two divisions of national guard
and national army troops in camps in
the United States-more than a million
men in al-are considered ready to go
overseas Tor service whenever II IS de-
cided that they shall move.
RiAe fo= Every Man
Every American soldier who uses a
rifle Secretary Baker told the senators.
already has been provided with one and
the rate of manufacture a sures
steady supply as troops become ready
to use them s+
Lewis machine guns, he said. al
though they have been ordered, are not
60 L.
cause General Pershing and his STAFF
desire them only for airplane work.
Great Britain and France he said, are
prepared to furnish machine guns for
the land forces until the American sup
ply arrives, and In fact wish to do so.
Responsibility. for calling out large
number of men before equipment for
them was ready, Secretary Baker as
sumed to himself, but added that the
best military advisors, including Major
General Leonard Wood, pressed 1t.
Charges of mistreatment of troops in
hospitals, Secretary Baker said, were
acted one vigorously and pointed out
that the war department only last week
refused to permit mere dismissal OF
two army doctors who mistreated sol
diers but insisted they should have pris-
on sentences in addition.
Chamberlain's speech. Mr.. Baker
thought. had given the country the i'm
ed of were characteristic rather than
coca sional." For that reason he de-
plored it's effect but he emphatfcally
declared he came before the COMMITTEES
not to defend individuals, deny delays
or false starts.
But" said he, 81 think can say In
confidence that in them we have sought
the remedy"
Thirty-two Divisions Ready
There are now in the United States
sixteen national army camps and six
teen national guard camps (thirty-tvo
divisions of troops) filled with men
ready to 60" said Secretary Baker.
"I do not know how fast it may be
necessary to send them to France" he
said at know how fast ~Re have sent
them and how fast we plan to send
them.
What we tried to do was to get the
men out as rapidly as we could estf-
mate on the production capacity of tho
country being able to care for them"
Mr.. Baker said his statement was not
exactly supplementary to his recent one
to the committee, but a comprehensive
statement on all army activities in the
war. especially replying to the charge
that the war department had fallen
down"
At the outset the secretary said he
thought much criticism came from nm
patience of the American people ito do
this great thing quickly
He conceded freely that in so great
an enterprise it was impossible that
there should not be delays and short
comings." The confidence of the coun-
try. however. he said, was necessady to
the tremendous effort"
More Than Million Under Arms
That there are more than a million
men under arms in this country was
stated by Secretary Baker in referring
to the cases of alleged neglect of the
dead in camp cited by Senator Chamber
lain.
Major General Wood, Mr. Baker said,
recommended calling out large army.
the men could not be provided
at once with rifles and clothing.
Every soldier who needs a rife has
one, Mr.. Baker said and of a better
type than if the British Enfield rife
had been adopted.
Defending the lack of the Lewis ma
chine guns, Secretary Baker reiterated
that Gneral Pershing does not want
I.wis guns for the ground forces, but
only for aviation.
Declaring that by securing artillery,
from France, Mr.. Baker said it also
would save ships.
I'm telling no secret when I say that
ships are the crux of our problem" he
said.
Secretary Baker said all foreign rep
and also the war counsel
PARTICIPANTS headed by Colonel House
declare that securing ordnance from
england and France will not take sup
plies they need but will help them.
Country Should Know
For one reason or another, the i'm
recession has gone out into the coun-
y TO some extent. that the war de-
.artmcnt has fallen down in the con-
duct of the war" said the secretary. IT
Continued on Page 8, Column 3D.