El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-24

ct finding Fl Paso modern city and was impressed
90 fsvorabv with conditions be found them augurs well
for this ctys military status, at least long as M
Baker at the head Of the war department Had his vs
been made before the United States went to war with
Germany the apportonment Of camps and cantonments
very likely would have been made to include e Paso It
win be recalled that announcement made that Fl
Paso had been selected the site for camp The de-
eson revoked and change made almost Immediately
sfterward Whatever the various contributing
to the rejection Of FL Paso-theTs versions
Il Is certain that the Christmas sandStorms Of 1915 had
something do with and there another storm on
the day the committee Of officers selecting sites visited FL
Paso IN 1917.
But there are conditions here which obscure the storm
feature secretary Baker has Just discovered The de-
hghtul quality Of the climate except for the occasional
blows; the facilities offered by big, well built progress
i've city, the abundance Of water and the presence Of camp
sites and target ranges all worth considering There
nothing about them. They Just they have
been for years only the head Of the var department has
Just found it out.
M Baker evidently thought Fl PasO little desert VII
lsge where the ella monsters parade the streets and the
dogs bark at strangers and the vision is continually OBJ
scured by whTlug sand He explained his previous i'm
pesSons very much to that effect and he remarked again
and again how surprised he at the size Of the city,
the size and substantially Of the buildings the miles OF
paved streets and the beautiful homes
What is mor When the secretary Of reviewing
the troops at Fort Bliss, he remarked:
@This certainly Is perfect location for army camp"
So Is and there is plenty ground Just good
The secretary might have noted the fine, level ground
cleared OF rocks and IN perfect condition where the Ohio
troops caped and the slightly less desirable but still
good cspite south Of the Eighth engineers camp; and
oLneEs around Bliss taking old Camp
stewart into consideration at al And there are target
ranges for small and machine gun fire and ranges for
artillery fire that good instructors could desire.
Nine days Of the visibility could not be exceed
probably equaed anywhere else in the United States
The tenth day it might be subnormai, it might
The secretary says he has had Fl Paso his mind and
On his conscience for long time. Certain it is that he
must have seer daily for long period masses Of official
reports about from e Paso During the entire time Of
the border emergency while he the secretarys chair
he could scarcely have had FL Paso out Of his mind
II may be surprising that one IN his position having his
attention often directed this city and IN so many
ways could have retained his conception conditions here
Tor Nh Baker IS neither careless dull intellect The
only conclusion is that Of the official reports which
reached him were Of very unsvoIable character and that
IN the very great press Of business with multitude of
distractions Of every kind he obliged as other
departmental heads IN the government do-rely on the re-
ports Of subordnate do in the quickest way the thing
that seems obvious and then jump to the next task
L IS No use to regret that M Baker unable 10 pay
II Paso earlier visit though c0pTehends that not
only his impressions but the effect thereof On FL
Pasos velbeing might have been very different had he
Let it suffice that Mr. Baker was frankly surprised and
delighted With what he Of FL Psso and Fort Bliss
This affords groundwork which to build the cty's
military future. It VIII be less easy in the future for
eaumuators to WELD the hammer more easy for FL Paso
ans 20 approach the secrearys office with well worked ont
proposals That MT Baker Is receptive is evidenced by the
lat l ne mas already outlined for the border district
an aerial patrol system which promises TO be of some i'm
poIance Plans already made by the war department for
engagements and improvements Fort Bliss nav veil h
followed by further and more ambitious plans When o
Pusory military service for all American youths is iusuq
uratea as It IS almost to be- FL Paso ought to Be
CHOSEN as the training center for al this part Of the south
est ms IN addition to the brigade more Of troops
regularly garrisoued here
It has been unfortunate for FL Paso unfortunate for all
o. 1eas that visits BY important government executives
nave been SO few and far between OF course that ar
counts 1oT the hay des most Of them seem 10 have ~ the
cry and the state. M McAdoo and M Baker are The
ny ones OF me present cabinet who have visited this civ
since taking office and their visits were Ioug 5eIse5
Fnap2 II would be Unfair to connect this up with the