Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-01-31
France early in 1915" he added, land
we will have 100000 ready to ship
to France during 1918"
Will Be News to Kaiser.

Will Be News to Kaiser.
Chairman Chamberlain asked the
secretary why he could not take the
public into his confidence in the mat
| ter.
Secretary Baker replied that he hes
itated to do that. He referred to
statement by General Won Hindenburg
| to the effect that America was adver-
| Using her intentions.
But isn't it a fact that Germany
has known all about this:" persisted
Senator Chamberlain.
'No," replied Secretary Baker. 'The
| German government is still mystlffed
| regarding the number of men now in
France. They know what is doing at
/ the front, but Germany is still mysti-
| fed regarding the number of men now
in France"
U. S. Troops Welcomed in France.
If the whole regular American army
! had been sent into battle at once, Sec
rotary Baker said, like England's, it
would have been destroyed.
In eloquent words, Secretary Baker
described how France welcomed the
first American soldiers, peasants kiss
ing the hens of their coats.
t Without prepared manuscript and in
a frank, conversational manner, the
; secretary of war told the senators he
| came to defend no mistakes or short
| comings but to insist most emphatic
oil that loft 1xrhn 1iSnIOC46
had been promptly modified; that they
were the exception rather than the
rule, and that the very magnitude OF
! Americas undertaking made errors Of
| judgment and mistakes likely.
incidentally, in defending the war
machinery against the charge OF inef-
| ficiency and lack Of initiative to pre-
| pare for war when war was assured,
| the secretary of war disclosed some
| facts hitherto held confidential.
Allies Prefer to Furnish Guns.
France and Great Britain, he said,
ere supplying artillery to the American
forces because they themselves wished
to do so, as they had an excess On
more vital necessities.
Thirty-two divisions of National
| Guard and National army troops in
| camp in the United States-more than
| million men in all-are considered
| ready to 90 overseas for service when
! ever it is decided th2,1 they shall move.
Every American soldier who can use
| a rifle, Secretary Baker told the SEN
| ators, already has been provided with
| one, and the rate Of manufacture as
| sures a steady supply as troops be-
come ready to use them.
''There are now in the United States
| Is National army camps and 16 Ma
| tional Guard camps (32 divisions OF
troops) filled with men ready to co.
said Secretary Baker.
| IT do not know how fast it may be
| necessary to send them to France" he
| said. II know how fast we 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 es-
| innate on the production capacity of
the country being able to care for
| them"
| Followed Pershing's Advice.
Lewis machine guns, he said, al
| though they have been ordered, are
| not being used for the troops on land,
| because General Pershing and his staff
| desire them only for airplane work.
| Great Britain and France, he said, are
| prepared to furnish machine guns for
ply arrives, and in fact, wish to do so.
| Responsibility for calling out q large
number of men before equipment for
| them was ready, Secretary Baker as
sumed himself, but added that the
| best military advisers, including Maj.
Gen. Leonard Wood, pressed for it.
| Charges of mistreatment of troops
in hospitals, Secretary Baker said,
| were acted on vigorously, and he point
| ed out that the war department only
| last week refused to permit dismissal
| of two army doctors, who mistreated
| soldiers, but insisted that they should
have prison sentences in addition.
| Senator Chamberlain's speech. afr.
Baker thought, had given the country
the impression that the deficiencies
complained of "were characteristic
| rather than occasional" For that rea-
| son he deplored it's effect. but he en-
phatically declared he came before the
| committee not to defend individuals,
! nor deny delay or false starts.
But" said he, II think / can say in
! confidence that in them we have
sought the remedy"
Securing artillery from France, Mr..
Baker said. also would save ships.
II am telling no secret when I say
| that ships are the crux of our prob
| lem" he said.
| Secretary Baker said all foreign rep
| resentatives and also the war council
| participants headed by f. M. House
declared that securing ordnance from
England and France will not take sup.
plies they need, but will help them.