SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1918
PXJBLiIC LEDGER
PAGE 6
" 1
... . i
SECRETARY OF WAR BAKER MAKES TEOMG REPLY TO HIS CRIT
ICS BEFORE SENATE MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
Half Million Men in France Soon and One Million Will Follow They Will
si aa r;,iri shins Are Available Baker Answers That War Ma-
vjivr cvo - j Mr
chine Had Broken Down Chamberlain
Profound Impression.
Admits That Baker Made
America will have an army of half million men in France early this
year with a million more trained and equipped ready to follow as quickly
as ships can be provided to caiu-y them and the outlook for this is not un
promising. Secretary Baker gave this information to the nation and to the world
JMonday last in a statement before the Senate Military Committee, baring
much that until now has been carefuly guarded with the army's military
secrets in answering charges that the Government broken down pre
paring for war.
MANY CONGRESSMEN HEAR HDL
From early morning until late afternoon the Secretary addressed the
committee and a crowd including many members of both houses of Con
gress gathered in a big hearing room of the Senate office building. He
spoke extemporaneously beginning with details of the mamoth task of
tmilding an army of a million and a halt, answering sucn compiauus ui
effiency as were cited by Senator Chamberlain in his recent speech and de
Iaring that such instances were isolated and not general. Some questions
vcre asked, and Mr. Baker from time to time had assistants go to the tel
ephone for reports on specific questions.
DRAMATIC GENERAL. STATEMENT.
Then, toward the close of the day the Secretary delivered a dramatic
general statement on the American war plan, telling of the coming of the
allied missions, of the day and night conferences with men from the scene
f battle in which the plans now being executed were adopted, and of suc
cess beyond the most sanguine expectations in building the army and its
industrial support at home, transporting men across the oceanfi construct
ing railroads in France and preparing to strike the enemy with every re
source at the country's demand.
"PROFOUND IMPRESSION" SAID HIS MAIN CRITIC.
When Mr. Baked- closed, it was apparent he had created a profoimd
impression. Chairman Chamberlain said so before he left the stand. There
m-as no attempt at cross examination. The chairman proposed that the
Secretary be given a rest, and it virtually was agreed to recall him for fur
ther examination later after the committee has completed its hearing of
officers of the medical corps, aviation section and other branches of the
service.
SENATE COMMITTEE AMAZED.
While many things disclosed impressed, the committee was frankly
amazed when told that the men of thirty-two National Guard and National
army divisional camps are ready to go today at need. When members
wanted to know why such things had not been given publicity before, Mr.
Baker spoke the reluctance of military men to reveal their Avar plans and
quoted German remarks about America's advertisement of her prepara
tions. Emphasizing that he was not there to defend himself or anybody else
the Secretary urged the committee again and again to lay bare any short
coming or failure of the department that it might be corrected. Frequent
ly he paused to seek stronger language to describe the devotion of his as
sociates in the department, military and civilian.
"For one reason or another," he said, "the impression has gone out
into the country, to some extent at least, that the War Department has fall
en down."
NO SUCH TRAGICAL THING AS THIS.
"It would be a tragical thing if this tremendous effort this wholly un-
OUV -HV llltlU K?g j V Jt-M. Xl j V ILX M. J ILV VVJ UCiSC1 V C7 lilt
somment that it had fallen down."
Never in the history of time, he declared, had an army of its size been
raised, equipped, trained and prepared for battle as had that of the United
States.
"TO THE LAST SHOE BUTTON."
Mr. Baker took personal resposibility for getting men under training
before their equipment was ready "to the last button." Such officers as
Major General Leonard Wood, he said, had urged this policy. He describ
ed conferences that evolved the ordance program and its fulfillment, sub
mitting documents to prove that France and Great Britain were supplying
artillery and machine guns for the first forces at their own urgent request
an order that ships might be used for other purposes.
PERSHING CONSULTED AND HE APPROVED
In all that was done prior to the departure of the first troops, General
3Pershing shared in the deliberations and approved the decisions reached,
31r. Baker said, and now surrounded with a staff or trained regular officers
sho could well be spared from the great task at home. "Pershing is in
France as the eyes of the army." Every step taken since has been found
ed on his long daily cable reports of what is going on at the fighting
fronts.
OVERCROWDING IN CAMPS EXPLAINED.
Tables were cited to show that overcrowding in the camps and can
tonments had not been general and that the sickness had come mostly in
the camps, where medical opinion had agreed it was least to be expected.
The history of the development and building of the cantonments was given
&i detail to show that every precaution possible had been taken.
NEW AVEAPONS THIS WAR CALLED FOR.
Anylizing the efforts of the Ordance Bureau, the Secretary said that
General Crozicr had urged for years a greater artillery preparation; that he
at least had ealized the time gun making required. But even France her
self "with the enemy at her throat," he added, had not been able to see
what vast gun programs the war would lead into.
During his general statement of the war plan and how it was develop
ed, Mr. Baker was rarely interrupted.
THE RESERVES TO THE COLORS.
Senator Overman has received in
formation that the French Govern
ment desires to decorate the monu
ment at carthage to James McCon
nell, the North Carolina aviator who
was killed in France after having
established a record of unusual ac
complishment. McConnell's father
will be foramlly notified of the re
quest and this handsome recogni
tion on the part of the French Gov
ernment will be of deep apprecia
tion by the people of North Caroli
na. -This French tribute in bronze
will always be pointed to as evi
dence of the great heart of the
French people
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(A CALL BY THE GOVERNOR.)
On the 3rd day of September, 1917, I issued a proclamation calling in
to active milcitary service all men between the ages of twenty-one and
iorty-five. These men constitute the Home Gua.rd and are the guardians
f the peace and safety of the State.
I now call to the Colors all the women of the State, and all the boys
and girls between the ages of twelve and twenty-one.
The one supreme task before the American people is the winning of
the war.
The one supreme necessity for the winning of the war is food.
The one sure way to supply this supreme necessity is to man the bread
line with the woman power, the boy power and the girl powea of the State.
I hereby nominate and apnoint everv woman in t.lift Stnto mmmitt
f one on Garden Spots. The duty of each committee is two-fold:
1. To take steps at once to prepare and cultivate a garden spot for
Ikerself and family.
2. To see to it that every vacant parcel of land in the neighborhood
fu. which she lives is converted into a ga-rden spot.
I urge every woman in the State to join some active canning and dry
ing club to the end that everything may be saved and nothing lost. Last
year the women canned and dried eighteen times as much fruit and vege
tables as they did the year before. This is a glorious record. Double it.
I call to the Colors every boy and girl between the ages of twelve and
twenty-one. I urge every one of you to join the Corn, the Pig and the
Poultry Clubs. In so doing you will become an essential part of the army
that must win the war.
Today we have only thirty-six hundred Corn Club boys. I want to
see one hundred thousand marshalled in invincible array. Let no boy be
slacker, bue every one fall promptly in line.
If these reserves shall hearken to this call we will surely win the war
and the victory so achieved will count as much for happiness in the com
fog years as it will count for success in this supreme crisis in the world
struggle for enduring peace. T. W. BICKETT, Governor.
January 24th, 1918.
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C. J. MANGUM, Vice - Pres.