Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1918-02-01

tior of the widow"
Mr.. Baker told of Investigations
that resulted in discharge of Lieut..
Charles w. Cole and Lieut.. John D.
Dye for neglect of patients, as recent
ly published.
THE department sets it's face
against that sort of callous disregard
of soldiers health" Secretary Baker
said 81 want the doctors and the
country to know that their lives and
welfare are a responsibility which I
will not permit to be lodged"
While camp commanders are held
responsible for health conditions,
Secretary Baker said, the surgeon
generals office has daily inspections
and he has appointed DR.. John A.
Hornsby, hospital expert, as his per-
sonal inspector. A telegram from Dr.
! Hornsby regarding camp conditions
which Senator Chamberlain assailed
disclosed them greatly improved"
with mortality reduced and ample
accommodations for all sick"
Secretary Baker read a letter from
Mrs. Mary Roberts Rinehart, the
writer, who has a son in the service
commencing hospital conditions she
recently inspected. Mrs. Rinehart
said she was impressed by Senator
Chamberlain's tragic letters"
But I feel the mothers of the coun-
try should know wrote Mrs Rine-
hart, that the number of such cases
is small. 1t is cruel to allow every
mother to judge the medical corps
because here and there men are I'M
willing or unable to give the care that
| is their duty. There are conditions
| to be remedied. The shortage of wo-
man nurses is serious. But of cruelty
and indifference 1 have found moth
ing. Ninety-nine out of 100 boys are
receiving better care than they could
afford at home"
And 1 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-gen-
eral.'
No army could be raised in any
country, 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
was being done.
Taking up Senator Chamberlain S
attack 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 a unanimous decision to
adopt the so-called re-chambered En-
| of
ence attended by Gen. Pershing, who
was preparing to go to France; Gen.
Scott chief of staff; Gen. Bliss, as
sistant chief; Gen. Crozier, chief OF
ordnance, and Gen. Kuhn, then head
of the war college, and several other
staff officers, experts in rifles II
was late in May or early in June.
The American Springfield rife, Sec
rotary Baker said, was admittedly
the best military rife developed by
any country when this decision was
reached. There were in stock about
500 900 of them.
1t was not then known, Secretary
Baker commended, whether American
troops would fight beside the British
or the French. The British used q
rim cartridge of one caliber and the
French a rim cartridge of another
caliber. The British government ha6
been preparing to rearm the entire
British army with the Enfield wher
the war broke out in 1914. The ex.
cellence of the American weapon wa:
so we'll known that the British de.
cided to remodel their guns, but the
SuddenneSS of the war prevented
them from making the change.
r After America entered the war Mr.
Baker said, Maj.-Gen. Wood came tt
, his office and advocated the necessity
> of calling out large army. 'Secretar!
: Baker said there were not the clothe
or arms, but Gen. Wood replied tina
. he knew that, but contended that tn,
men needed to live together for "pre
: liminary training" He told Gen
: Wood he agreed that the army SHOULD
be assembled as rapidly as possible
. but it was the intention to build Vi
a the regular army and the nationa
guard first and then the nationa
army.
Concluding his statement regarding
: the decision to call many men early
y Secretary Baker said:
= $50, the determination ultimatel
- was OIL al 10 forecast
:, time needed for training 1t wa
\ deemed wise to put men into camp t
learn camp living and essentials of
soldiers life. a little in advance be
fore they could be fully supplied wit
arms
:. Regarding Senator Chamberlain
T statement that rifles originally sen
to camp were a motley collection,
Secretary Baker said he did not oh
= ject to the term but that the fact
- were that eve had about 10000
Springfield rifles and something owe
y 100000 Krags.
!. 1.-The German army, best prepare
- in the world" he added, 'furnishe
'e an obsolete rifle for practice unit
u men learn to take care of a bette
weapon.
Il do not mean to say" he added
: ".Mc% the question was decided infaI
l9 IDLY 1t might have been better t
T. use the English Enfield. But I d
Il mean to say that it was decided cor
OF scientiously, that now every man i
I'd this country intended to carry a riff
L has one, and a rife of better qualit
than if we had adopted the existin
a type OF the time.
d, And although we have sent so
Id diers to Europe much more rapid
a. than we ever thought we would c