The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-01-28
BAKER PROMISES
AN INVESTIGATION
General March Also Says He Will
Welcome Probe-Accurate Inves-
tigation as Called for impossi-
BILE Now, Says Secretary
Baker. = ~.

Washington, Jan. 25.-The wal
department will welcome congress
sional investigation either into the
affairs of the department or the con-
duct of the war, Secretary Of War
Baker and Chief-of-staf March told
the House rules committee yesterday,
If this action is taken Baker prom
ised full information and that testi-
mony of officers who have been in
France would be made available.
Baker declared, however, that an
accurate investigation, such as called
for in a resolution by Representa-
tive Campbell of Kansas, into reports
that the 35th. division had suffered
abnormal casualties because of faulty
handling and poor care was difficult
at this time because the officers who
had information as well as docu-
|
ments were overseas. >i.,e,,
Baker did give the committee some
definite information on the casual
ties and artillery support. =,
Following Baker and ,March's tes-
timony the rules committee adjourn
ed without acting, on the Campbell
resolution. s-
The total killed and died of disease
up to November 1 were 879, March
said. ..: -
Campbell's resolution cited reports
that the casualties in the Argonne
battle alone were 1000. 49,. . st.
Charges that the division had not
proper artillery support were refut-
ed by the definite statement that at
no time was the division out of range
from support of it's corps.
Baker said the division may have
got beyond it's division artillery, but
emphasized that in this case it would
have been less dangerous to advance
than to stand still under German ma
chine gune fire.
Two generals Clarence I. Martin
and Mcclure, had been removed the
day before the battle, Baker said,
but declared he did not know why.
They were replaced by Colonel Wal
ker and Colonel huffman, regular
army men. Both Baker and March
said the men were removed as pre-
liminary to the battle and that their
removal had no effects on the battle
itself, since the brigade commanders
did not receive orders apprising them
of the battle until the day before it
began. Their removal was up to
General Pershing, March said.
On Campbell's other charges, in
Guiding one that the men lacked food
and had not proper aerial support
and that 1900 wounded men had to
lie on the wet ground, both witnesses
said they had no information as yet,
although they indicated that they did
not believe the reports.
March said, however, that plans
for the battle called for concentra-
tion of American planes in squads of
12O for offensive operations mad that
single German machine might have
slipped through and attacked troops.
"a single airplane means nothing
in a military way" March said. Con-
cerning removal of wounded March
said he had reports of three officers
who had returned to this country.
One had been removed in six hours,
one in IL hours and one in "a hours,
indicating, he pointed out, that the
difficulty of removal increased as the
battle progressed.
"The figure 1900 corresponds with
nothing we have" said March.
Baker and March both described
the operation as the most difficult
ever undertaken.
There were approximately 100000
men in the attack and 1000 guns.
The greatest artillery concentration
ever attempted were for the fight.