Evening journal., 1919-01-20
RAKER PASSES TIE BUCK.

xxB BAKER compacently passes the buck to Con
lSl gress by declaring that additional legislation vii
be necessary before he pay any money TO men In
hospitals.
In a letter to Speaker Clark Of the House. he asks
legislative authority to prepare rolls for payment of
soldiers who have returned treatment in government
hospitals
He whines that bitter criticism of the War Depart
ment has resulted from the by many Of the OF
their papers and records. with consequent delays in
their payment.
If there has been instance during the prosecution
OF the war when Secretary Baker has admitted the in
efficiency Of his department any branch of 1t II has
not come 10 attention
In every case where supplies Of the most vital nature
have failed to reach armies at the front he has
either skinully sdesptedde responsibility Of brazonly
asserted that everything going according to schedule
When the French came 10 our rescue with offers of
arplanes cannon and tanks Mr. Baker allowed the in
TO be drawn that such part of the
War Department program. On occasions he has not
hesaied TO resort to seemingly deliberate msstaements
Of fact witness the notorious history Of aircraft pro
ducilon.
One Of the secretarys most frequent subterfuges in
escaping criticism has been to declare that further egs
lton from Congress necessary 10 meet difficult sit
uaons thus leading the country TO believe that Con-
gress was responsible for delays in program.
At the present moment The most crying need Of our
soldiers payment for the months OF toll danger and
Congress- the beginning OF hoslities doubled the
compensation OF enlisted Of the army and fixed
thirty per month the basic pay Of private.
But in spite Of The farsighted generosity OF law
makers most distressing stories are coming TO light every
day Of the nonpayment OF and consequent suf
fering to them and their dependents at home
There has been scarcely single soldier TO return 10
this country who has not been months In arrears
regards pay
The worst conditions prevail in the case of the
wounded who have been IN French hospitals
In some Instances men who have been brought home
on hospital ships and placed hospitals In the United
States have not received from the Government for
eight months
at least one case public benefit was held by SYM
pathetic friends to raise, funds for ordinary comforts for
soldiers wounded the defense of country whose
re'ary OF was unable 10 devise a way to pay them
'ne money they had earned In the trenches
AS sample Of the generous way In which Congress
@ p"ceo huge lump the hands OF the secretary
o 'e payment Of the army we quote from two typical
asp.op'iauon acts The army of last July reads In
"Onlcers Of the line. 70, -
s2ol65l27e" p's VI o''i0S onicers'
Enlisted Of the line: For nav =, zoe, -,
listed men Of the line. sT7645s7eiOs" q"
The deficiency appropriation act Of novor,.,. a.,
reads er s'h
"For pay Of officers and enlisted men Of the uno -
OF The stan departments nurses and enlisted man q, h
Philippine Scouts authorized by law ssae a97 go.
In those two laws alone Mr. Baker has had given %
him without limitation over billion and half for nav
alone which has been supplemented by additional mil
Hons in other acts
II has been up to Baker to distribute the money e
duty that ne has shamefuly neglected
In the light OF the facts puerle disgusting for
the secretary OF war to shunt responsibility for the
npancis plight Of our soldiers to Congress.