Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-05
WARDEPARTMENT'S|
VAST WORK Shown
Secretary Baker, in Annual
Report, Says Future Pro-
gram Uncertain.
PEACE TERMS TO DECIDE

In his annual report Secretary
Baker of the War Department says
he has refrained from making specific
Recommendation for future legislation
for the military establishment, for
two reasons.
I'm the first place" says he, the
signing OF the arnistice has not 1or-
inally closed the war. We have At
present q great military establish
meat which cannot be Immediately
dissolved, and the activities OF the
department for some time at least
must be concerned with what we have.
IN the second place, the peace CONFER
ence is about to assemble and the
military needs Of the United states
cannot be prudently assessed untii
that conference shall have determlned
the future international relations OF
the world The department Will pre-
sent to the Congress a plan for the
maintenance of regular Army whicn
shall continue as the nucleus OIL any
future military establishment. pend
ing the time when the experience
through which we have gone can ne
digested and the future needs OF the
nation maturely considered.
For Military Policy.
Tn any case, it is clear that the edu-
cation of officers and a constant study
Of the science OF warfare will be
necessary. and il is my hope that
the great military academy at west
Point can be supplemented by an en-
largement and broadening of the
special schools which are at present
organized, but should be made to take
on more the character Of postgradu-
ate courses and to develop and train
research specialists in the several
arms. This subject, however, Is one
upon which casual comment is not
helpful and ] refer to it only because
II seems the one clear indication from
our experience as to our future pol
Icy"
AN adequate account of the activi.
ties of the department for the year
now ending can be written, MT
Baker says, only In the long reaches
of historical inquiry when there will
be time and opportunity to examine in
detail not merely statistical exhibits
which tell in Numbers OF men and
guns what America did, but also to
appraise the contributions of patriotic
zeal and service which came from
field and factory. from civilian and
soldier alike. and which represent in
their aggregate the life of the nation
concentrated upon single purpose.
In his brief recital of the events, OF
fne war bdhFF StiGClS TIE udltie
Of the Meuse az. 'from the viewpoint
OF military s-rateHy, merica's great
est contribution to the successful out
come of the war; since by chat at
tack of the American armies the
Sedan Mezieres railway, the main
artery of the German supply system,
was cut. The entire available
strength of the American Army in
France, twenty-eight divisions, was
In line in the second week of October.
he says, making yard by yard prog
ress against desperate enemy resist
ance which finally was worn out, land
on November the American troops
broke through" The object OF the
drive. the strategic conception of
which included the British drive at
the northern end of the railway sys-
tom and the French advance in the
center, was accomplished November
:, when the Americans entered the
outskirts Of Sedan, to be joined there
the next day by the French"