Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-29
HOW N. Y. PAPERS
VIEW BAKERS DEFENSE
Criticism Not Stilled by War
Secretary's Dis
closures
PRAISED BY "W ORLDy
Other Publications Pick Many
Flaws in Recital of Nations
Achievements
NEW YORK, Jan. q

NNb'' ioiNi>s JAN eV.
Excerpts from ed,oritls of leading
New York morning newspapers upon
Secretary of War Bakers defense Of the
war Department follow:
Tribune
In his statement to the Senate commit
tee and TO the nation yesterday Sec
that there are more than a million men
in this country under arms This in
explanation of the epidemics of sickness
reportcd from the different camps. And
these million men will be sent to France
just as rapidly as they can be equipped
and we can find ships in which to send
them.
Secretary Bakers second appearance
before the Senate committee came upon
a fateful day-the second of the shut
down. Mondays, when the industries of
a section of the country whose popula-
tion exceeds that of the German En-
p.re have to stop for lack of coal. Ships
in the harbor wait. new ships on the
ways wait. our soldiers wait. munitions
wait, the Allies wait for foods and sup
plies, our railroads arc cut down in the
deliveries they can make-all for lack
of coal While we listen TO the Sccrc-
tary's fair words of great accomplish
mcnts aud yet greater things TO come.
we may remember the part t.lot he
played in bringing about this stand
still Of industry.
World
There could not be more complete
and overwhelming answer to Senator
Chamberlain's charge that "thc military
establishment of America has fallen
down." that "it is a thing that does not
exist" that "it has almost stopped func-
tionng," than Secretary Bakers testi-
mony yesterday before the Senate Com
mittee on Military Affairs.
A military establishment that has
raised and equipped the greatest army
the United States has ever had, that has
sent great numbers of troops to France
and has 100000 more that are ready
to go. has not fallen down: it has not
ceased to exist; it has not stopped
functioning. On the contrary, it has
done work for which there is no
parallel in American military annals.
The test of n military establishment
In the circumstances in which the Unit
ed States entered this conflict is not
button, as the Germans boasted that
they were when they crossed the Bel
gian frontier 1t is not whether there
have been shortcomings and delays. II
Is not whether there have been casual
errors I'm judgment or incidental con-
fusion In execution. 1t is whether there
we're plans commensurate with the part
that the country must play, whether
there was energy in the execution of
these plans. whether there was a dispo-
sition to correct errors and profit from
Mistakes and whether the military es.
tablishment moved steadily forward "a
the accomplishment of its objects.
Measured by these tests. the War De-
partment under Secretary Baker has
written a new chapter in the military
history of republics.
Nevertheless there is one lesson that
the War Department itself should Learn
from this unfortunate episode, which is
the necessity for fuller war publicity
and for taking the American yeopIs
completely into the confidence of theii
Government in all matters that are moi
undeniable military secrets.
Sun
The merit of Secretary Bakers testi
mony before the Senate Military Com
mittee Will be measured by the specific
statements of fact which it affords. no
by any general denial of his that tn
war Department has fallen down." o
by any general asseveration that thu
department he administers mas done Il
this emergency all that could be ex
pected of human fallibilty
The country at large will Withhold,
Its Judgment of the Secretary's ade
quacy or inadequacy until it has hear,
and studied all that he is able or wlllin,
to tell; but the final Judgment on tn
main question will proceed from tn
bench. not from the witness stand. An
neither now nor in the record of his
tory will that verdict be coored b.
politics.
Times
When he appeared before the Senat,
Military Committee yesterday to de