The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1919-08-22
SECRETARY BAKER DEFENDS
NEED OF LARGE ARMY

WASHINGTON, S August 81. =
Secretary Baker defended before the
Senate Subcommittee on Military At
fairs his recommendation for an
army of $4,000 men by saying that
in view of the disturbed conditions
in the world" he did not wish the
responsibility" of asking for small
force.
Secretary Baker indicated several
times that the bill as presented, in
universal military training for nine
teen-year-old youths, was that of
military experts rather than his own,
although it had his approval.
He said that his own ''guess" was
that an army of $4,000 was per-
haps somewhat larger than necess-
airy, but that he did not wish to take
the responsibility of opposing the
opinion of the country's greatest
military men.
Regarding the provision for main
| tenance of three divisions in the in
sular possessions the Secretary ad-
mitted that the force appeared to
him somewhat large and agreed to
the suggestion of Senator Wadsworth
of New York that native troops
might be used to advantage.
The Senator had remarked that at
present it seemed that every Amer
lean soldier kept in the Philippines
was there somewhat in the nature of
hostage of faith"
| The Secretary also considered as
worth while a suggestion that part
of the youth of the country might be
| given the opportunity for naval train
ing, possibly as a substitute for the
training he otherwise would receive
in the army.
The interrogation of the Secretary
offered the opportunity for obtain
ing his opinion on the proposed
establishment of an air ministry.
Senator New of Indiana presented
arguments for the separation of the
military and aeronautics, but Secre-
tary Baker was frank in his declara-
ton of opinion that it would make
for inefficiency.
Difficulty would be experienced,
Mr.. Baker said, in maintaining the
proper coordination under separate
heads and if a more adequate air
service is desired, he suggested, it
would be more practicable to utilize
the existing military organizations.
Another reason given by the Sec
rotary for opposing Capitalization
of aviation was that it would tend to
discourage competition in the de-
velopment of aerial appliances. Avia-
ton, he said, is yet so new that all
the ingenuity and inventions that can
be had are needed.
He also explained to the committee
the difficulty an air ministry would
have in handling it's pilots when sep
arately trained, indicating the neces-
sity from the point of view of the
military man of having the air men
so drilled with the army man that
there would be the least possible
chance of failure when it came to
coordination.
The testimony developed that the
United States now has 1918 air
planes, of which, however, only 1928
are service planes. The major part
of the present equipment is obsolete,
but, it was asserted by the Secre-
tary, the types are better than any
in Europe.
A utilization of those types,
coupled with the experience in pro-
duction that have been had, would
be believed, save much time if it
should again become necessary to
bring that branch of the service to
a war basis.
The Secretary said that if the gov
eminent wished to develop the air
industry either for commerce or for
war purposes the solution was simple
merely spend the money to buy
more planes.