Evening star., 1920-01-16
Mr.. BAKER REPLIES
ON NAMING CHIEFS
Takes Issue With Mr.. CALI
van-Latter Discusses
Medal Awards.

Secretary Baker has taken direct
issue with Representative Gallivan,
democrat. Massachusetts, over the
statement made by the latter in the
House that the chiefs of staff who
preceded Gen. March during the war
We're removed because they were
considered unequal to the task"
After having read the letter to him,
made public at the War Department,
Representative Gallivan amplified his
previous charges in written state
ment.
Secretary Baker pointed out that
from the beginning Of the war until
Cen March returned from Paris to
take the place there were only three
chiefs of staff-Gen- Hugh l.. Scott
ten IaSker II. Bliss and Gen. John
Biddle. and that the latter was des-
ssrated as acting chief.
Gen. Scott Mr.. Baker said, was re-
tired on September %. 1917, because
ke had reached the legal age of re-
trement, and Cen Bliss was reUfeo
for the same reason on December
81. 1917.
Suggested March to PershinE.
The Secretary said that on September
10, 1917, before either of these officers
reached retirement age. he wrote Gen.
Pershing. suggesting the appointment of
Gen. March. then chief of artillery with
the American tNECtItlpIdIS IpINtS. Lci
the place when Gen Bliss had retired
Gen Pershing agreed. he said, and Gen.
March was given Immediate and COM
pIete opportunity to study the entire
situation in France.
Meantime Gen. Biddle was appointed
acting chief of staff to serve until Gen.
March arrived from Europe. early in
1918.
Mr.. Baker reviewed the records of
Gems. Scott. Bliss and Bddle, covering
both their services to the nation before
the great war and the work they did
during that time-Gen. Bliss as Ameri-
can military representative at Paris,
Gen. Scott as commander of Camp Dix,
Y. J.. and Gen. Biddle as commander
of the American troops in Great
Britain.
Compares Medal Awards.
Representative Gallivan. in his
statement, declared only one enlisted
man, apparently by error" had been
awarded distinguished service med
al, while 554 officers and thirty-three
civilians had been given this decora-
tion. He quoted figures a to awards
made, adding that he did not desire
Ito anticipate or befuddle the distin-
suished Secretary of War" in prepar-
ing the report called for under the
Gallivan resolution adopted by the
House.
Let it not be forgotten" said Mr.
GalliVanS statement, that the act
creating the distinguished service
medal abolished the certificate of
merit. the oldest DECORATION of the
American Army, which was for en-
listed men only.
Il do not care to comment upon the
figures which L append 1t certainly
is Illuminating and it is proof conciu-
sive that the medal has been restrict
ed to a much narrower field than ever
i announced in my remarks to Con-
gress.'
What Quoted Figures Show.
The figures quoted showed the fol-
lowing distribution of distinguished
service medals: Generals, 8; lieuten-
ant generals. ?: major generals, SO:
brigadier generals, II: colonies, 265;
lieutenant colonels, rs; majors, 16:
captains. .; lieutenants, 413; chap
1ains. 43; sergeants, I; privates, /;
civilians, male, 25: female, s.
How carefully our allies awarded
this same distinguished decoration"
the statement said, "can be noted
from the following figures, which
show the awards of the distinguished
service medals by countries:
american Gncluding seven to for
eigners), 535; French, 144; British, 70;
Italian. %; Belgian, 10; japanese, 4 ;;
Rumanian, l."