The Washington times., 1919-12-01
DEMObIL!zAT,0N
over, SAYS BAKER
: cretary's Annual Report
Shows War Machine on
Pace Footing.

How Americas vast war machine.
travelling at top speed toward its goai
Of victory, has reversed its gears ana,
with the same speed, travelled to-
ward the goal Of peace conditions. lis
shown in Secretary Of War baker 8
annual report to the President. deal
ing with the War Departments ac-
tivities in 1919.
piling as many guns, men and muni-
tions against the Kaiser's line in
France as possible the War Depart
ment was suddenly called on by the
armistice to put these same men and
supplies back into the channels OF
peace with even more speed.
The task of demob. .lization. the
largest job of the many following
the armistice, Is done, the Secretary
said The maximum size Of the army
was close to 1000, 900 men. On No
vember 10. 1919. 1926 officers and
3.236.266 enlisted men had been de-
mobilized.
Involved In this work were prob
lems almost as complex as the wor.>
itself. In returning this vast mum
ber of men to the industries of peace
there arose first the matter Of bring
/
shorter time than was requi. ed to
send the 2.00O. 900 men in France
Next arose the problem of re-em-
ployment. This has been largely over
come. says the Secretary, throue
Government agencies and the gene =
ous cooperation OF the industries
themselves
Many Police JsAs.
ment's activities. as outlined by Se.-
retary Baker. might include, besides
the Job of demobilization, the estab-
ushment of permanent garrison
along the Rhine, provision Of trooos
for expeditionary duty In conjunction
with the peace treaty. maintenance
OF forces in Russia, and the readjust-
ment of the War Depar, ,ment pro
gram to the demands of peace
In addition to this, the War De
partment has been called on to fur.
nish troops to preserve law and or.
der virtually every month of the yea,
1919. This has constituted no small
part of the general work of the de
partment, the Secretarys report
shows.
Included In this work has been tine
preservation of order in shIpyarl
strikes at Seattle and Tacoma, WASH
mining strikes in Montana. the pres.
ent steel strike at Gary, Ind, an.
furnishing troops for numerous race
riots, l. w. W. agitations, as well as
the guarding of Government plant:
and property.
Figures on Siberia.
In connection with the demoblliza.
ton. Secretary Baker devoted Dor
tion of his report to the forces now
In Siberia, over which much contro-
versy has arisen. Although the ar
mistice was signed in the west IN
November. 1918, the Siberian force
has been in action in 1919. the casual
ties UP to October /, 1919. being 10s
men dead, OF whom 2S were killed In
action and s died Of wounds.
During the summer Of 1919, Secre-
tary Baker said, efforts were made tc
secure enlistments for Siberian sery-
ice, and 1915 men were sent over a,
requirements for men who have beer
discharged.
American forces In Germany on oc-
tober IL, 1919. Secretary Baker said
were 51e officers and 1o,399 enlisted
men Secretary Baker also reported
that provisional brigade Is also en-
route to Coblenz, Germany, with q
view to possible use In Silesia-
As demobilization of the wartime
forces of the country practically
meant annihilation of all our mill.
tary forces. Secretary Baker said. en-.
listments for the army were author
fzed and recruiting campaign con-
Quoted. Since February I, 1919. he
said. a total of 1877 900 men have been
enlisted for one and three-year
periods.
Asks Army Of 500.00o.
In this connection. Secretary Bake,
pointed out that the war has shown
the need OF fundamental reorgapiza-
tion Of our army and the War De.
partment. He recommended as a solu.
tiop of the present problem the Wa,
Department bill providing for a regu.
lar army OF 100000 men. a reserv.
provided by universal training. and q
REORGANIZATION OF the War Depart.
nent to meet this changed plan O,
defense
Summarizing the figures of IN,
Secretary, an estimate Of the tota'
surplus property Of the United State,
here and abroad amounted In round
figures to s3.70o. 900. 900. Of whic,
amount S2.5S2. 0o0.o has been dis
nos~d OF, giving a return of 1914.
ooO.nOo to the War Department.. or :
recovery OF 81 per cent based on the
ratio nf 70