The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-27
BEFORE A BATTLE.
General Martin Removed Just
Prior to ArgOnne Fight.
Secretary of War Knew Little
About Situation in Europe.


General March when he was up be-
fore the house rules committee con-
corning the removal of Gen. Charles
l. Martin, Kansas national guard Of
ffcer, who went over with the 35th
division.
DO you know when and why Cen
eral Martin was removed?' Repre-
sentative Campbell asked Baker
Secretary Baker, do not. 1 know,
as a matter of-yet L am not sure
whether L know it as a matter of fact,
or matter of hearsay, that General
Martin, who was originally national
guard officer, and General Mcclure,
who was a regular army officer, were
the two brigade commanders, and
both of them were relieved at this
time.
Secretary Knew Not.
Mr. Campbell You have no in
timation in the department as to why?
Secretary Baker-None-
Mr.. Campbell-You have no intf-
nation in the department as to why
they were relieved Immediately before
the battle?
Secretary Baker-None. have
none and SO far as 1 know the mill
tary branch of the war department
has none.
Now, Mr.. Chairman" Secretary
Baker concluded, 'if L may suggest
what 1 have been trying to say, it is
all in one sentence. The war depart
ment is exceedingly eager to have the
people of the United States learn in
the most authoritative and positive
way the exact facts. The only thing
that L know about the pending reso-
luton is whethere there is availa BILE
in this country the docAn entary evil
dence Or whether there are certain
x1-l1n IL r.
fore any sort of judgment could be
rendered. ] do not know whether it
was intended by Mr.. Campbelrs reso-
luton to suggest the possibility of the
committee going abroad, to complete
its inquiry, but l think it would be an
unhappy thing to do. Our army has
still million men abroad. We are
bringing them home as rapidly as we
can. The war department is giving
more attention to getting the men
honAe than to any other subject.
Every available means of transporta-
ton is being used to it's capacity, and
L think it would be an unhappy thing
to have inquiries of this kind going
on while the ARMY is still in USE
What of 35th?
Mr.. Campbell-Of course, I had not
thought of or int lded the commit
tee should go to the other side. May
W
ton of the war department to bring
back the members of the 35th divi-
sion, officers and men, within a rea-
sonably short time?
Secretary Baker, will let General
March answer that, because I do not
General March is here and can tell
you just what General Pershins has
decided about that.
General March stated that the colo
mel chosen to. command was Colonel
Walker
The two officers selected to replace
General Mcclure and General Martin
were Colonel huffman and Colonel
Walker. both of them regular army
officers.
Mr.. Campbell-Do you know when
| those colonies replaced those generals ?
General Mar ch-Yes, 1 do.
Mr.. Campbell-How long before the
battle?
General March-1ust Immediately
| before it.
Mr.. Campbell-Do you know why it
was done?
General March-We do not 1t was
| done. 1 suppose. by the officers re-
Mr.. Campbell-Who made the
| order?
General March-Wen. the system
| over there gives the divisional COM
| mander the power to remove officers
summarily when he finds it neces-
sary-
| Knew of the Battle.
Mr.. Campbell-Was it known at the
| time General Martin and General Nc
| Clure were displaced by the colonies
you mentioned they were going i'm
mediatcly into the Argonne fight?
| General March-Yes, it was a pre-
| liminary to it.
| 1r
| before this committee is whether those
boys did have the kind of support sol.
| diers should have under the circum-
| stances. That is the matter 1 was call
| ing for in this investigation.
! General March-The operation, OF
| course, was planned in advance YOU
cannot throw in 800. 900 men, without
| the most minute preparations COINS
| on weeks beforehand, getting up sup
plies that will keep the army regular
ly going after it gets going, bringing
| up large dumps of artillery ammuni-
| ton, which can be fed readily into the
| guns. All those things are thought
| out carefully in advance and the
| movement of troops prepared. o.
! course. 100000 men require a large
area and a movement like that had t.
| be concealed, more or less, from the
| Germans. so the troops sleep and hide
by day and move forward by night
| No operation of that magnitude car
| go on without the most careful plan
, ming, which was done in this case, anf
! the results were perfectly fine. O.
! course. there were losses. but that il
one of the features of war that canno
be avoided.
| Mr.. Campbell was going to aSl
il it would disrupt the organization o
a division to remove two of its genera
officers Immediately before a fight
i general officers who had been witt
that division since its organization?
Not Hurt Organization.
General March-It would not dis
rupt the organization of the division
Mr.. Campbell-Would it show I
the troops, thru the subordinate off
GERS, there had been an am bition or