Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-29
British Enfield
better type than if the BIRTHS
rifle had heen adOnfed

rifle had been adopted.
Defending the lack of Lewis machine
guns, Secretary Baker reiterated that
General Pershing does not want Lewis
guns for the ground forces but only for
aviation.
Some reports, the secretary said,
have not proved serious upon inquiry,
while others have, in which case cor:
rections followed.
In the case of the body Of an officer
who died at an aviation training school
being shipped home in sheet, Secre-
tary Baker said, inquiry developed that
the camp was in charge of British
aviation officer, who followed the
British method of sending bodies home
unclothed, the mans clothing being
shipped in a separate parcel. An Amer
lean officer was then, put in charge.
BLAMES WIDOWS IMAGINATION.
Another complaint of neglect of a
patient at Camp Wheeler, he said, de-
veloped that it was unjustified and re-
sulting from the distressed imag1na-
ton of the widow"
There still are in the hands OF the In
spector-general nine cases being inves-
tigated. Mr.. Baker told Of investiga'
lions which resulted in discharge OF
Lieut.. Charles w. Cole and Lieut..
John G. Dye for neglect of patients.
The Judge advocate general advised
adding a prison sentence to the dis
missal, and that is being considered.
WARNING TO DOCTORS.
"The department sets its face
against that sort of callous disregard
of soldiers health" Secretary Baker
said. 81 want doctors and the country
to know that the soldiers lives and
welfare are responsibility which l
will not permit to be lodged or han
died in cavalier fashion"
While camp commanders are held
responsible for health conditions, Sec
rotary Baker said, the surgeon gener-
ais office has daily inspections and he
has appointed DR.. John Hornsby, a
hospital expert, as his personal inspec-
tor. A telegram from DR.. Hornsby re-
garding camp conditions Chamberlain
assailed, disclosed them greatly i'm
proved with mortality reduced and
ample accommodations for all sick"
WOMAN coMMENDs HOSPITALS.
Secretary Baker read a letter from
Mrs. Mary Roberts Rinehart, the writ
er. who has a son in the service, COM
mending hospital conditions she in.
spected recently. Mrs. Rinehart said
she was impressed by Senator Cham
berlain's tragic letters
But I feel the mothers Of the coun.
try should know" wrote Mrs. Rinehart,
that the number of such cases Is
small. 1t is cruel to allow every moth.
err to Judge the medical corps because
some of the men are unwilling or un.
able to give the care that is their duty.
There are conditions to be remedied.
The shortage of women nurses is ser.
ious. But of cruelty and Indifference
have found nothing. Ninety-nine out
of hundred boys are receiving better
care than they could afford at home"
"And l wish to point out further"
added Secretary Baker, "that the very
heads of the medical profession, the
masters of the profession, are in con-
slant touch with the surgeon general"
DANGER FROM DISEASES.
No army could be raised in any
the secretary commended,
without danger from communicable
diseases. All that could be done was
TO provide every means OF science to
meet that danger. That, he insisted,
is being done.
Taking up Senator Chamberlain's at
tack on the ordnance bureau, Mr..
Baker said that mems minds differed
about the types Of guns to be used
and about the quantity. He then dis.
closed that the decision to adopt the
so-called rechambered Enfield rifle
was reached late one night in his office
at conference attended by General
Pershing who was preparing to go to
France; General Scott, chief of staff;
Bliss, assistant chief; General
Crozier, chief of ordnance; General
Kuhn, then head of the war college,
and several other staff officers 'ex-
perts in rifles" 1t was late in May or
early in June.
PLANS NOT KNOWN.
The American Springfield rifle, Sec.
rotary Baker said, "was admittedly the
best military rifle developed by any
when this decision was
reached. There were in stock about
10000 of them.
1t was not known then, Secretary
Baker commended, whether American
troops would fight beside the British
or the French The British used
rim cartridge rifle Of one calibre and
the French a rim cartridge gun of an
other. The British government had
been prepared to "rearm the entire
british army with the Enfield when the
war broke out in 1914. The excellence
of the American weapon was so well
known that the British decided to re-
model their guns, but the suddenness
Of the war prevented making the
change.
REPLY TO WOOD.
THAT decision made that night" Mr..
Baker added, referring to the confer
ence held at which it was decided to
change the American rifle, had the
utmost consent Of every man at the
After American entered the war, Mr..
Baker said, Major General Wood came
to his office and advocated the neces.
sity of calling out large army Sec
rotary Baker said there were not the
clothes or arms, but General Wood
replied he knew that, but contended
the men needed to live together for
preliminary training" The secretary