| Show COMMITTEE ON ClOTHING IS AB SAYS BAKER War ar Secretary on Stand Su Surprises irises His Investigators I With rith Announcement but hut Defends Members l y REPARTEE EE FLIES AS ASHE ASHE ASHE HE PUFFS AT CIGAR Army l Has lIas Been Raised to Million Jillion and Half I Since Sincer r War ar Declaration H e Tells Tens Senate enate CO Committee In la th the nine niu si since HOP the 1 St declared n a state tn of ot existed h d Hit th the r. r Karmy a hui Ut risen U from 54 J officers of- of fleer staid mid mf men fe to Ji 1 UG office J ami nud of linker r In lu a state state- before the Senate enate nt military committee JI lie ilci that no nu noether other ether in the history of the world mirld e ever r bud huil raised equipped or trained so M Poll quickly lulI I The Ih secretary added that n 11 force of nl- nl rend read n ii In France mid and fit for tor c j service er anti full equipment equip ment ent is ili on un f fur ir cr man vilio will be ht- to during JUIS UV II LI II IS lS WOOD A Nci Nc C i Sn Service Ice Staff Correspondent t. t Jan 10 Newton Newton ewton D. D Baker secretary of war spent today under tender fire The Senate military affairs committee now probing ing the war department questioned the secretary for nearly five hours Mr i Baker refused d to concede that I there were any glaring faults in in his department Tie lie said there might have hae been een some sonic error of ju judgment lint hut these would be incident to an all enterprise en en- of such magnitude as establishing establishing lishing lishing- a greet t army Of or the ordnance department which 1 has lias been riddled oy by criticism he said mid I At Atthe the tho moment I cannot put my mind on anything In this department which be bc holp helped 1 b the can by committees committee's committees committee's committees committee's com com- aid because aid because e when I find an anything anything any any- thing thinS wrong I try to correct It Retains Composure Under tho the mo most t persistent cross cross- examination the secretary maintained the utmost self self tie was entirely unruffled and anti preserved cd a meticulously polite attitude bowing and smiling smiting with man many of oC his answers 11 was wag exceedingly careful with his words pausing to puff purt at his long long- cigar before beCore he replied Many lan of ot hi his answers he lie prefaced with such expressions as I r I dont don't know exactly Im I'm not quite finite sure sure The examination examination will be continued tomorrow Supply Committee ni Dissolved Late In tn the afternoon bore upon the matter of members of oC the thes s supply committee of oC the council of national national national na na- na- na defense When it wn was waa alleged that those members Is I's had sold to the u I government the secretary said said he could not possibly believe o this It II was then re revealed to the surprise c cof of everyone that not only Mr 11 Baker has abandoned the system of oC purchasing ing lug army aimy supplies through the llio committee comI committee com com- but also alMO that the tho committee I ha has been abolished I am informed the supply committee hn has been dissolved c said the secretary calmly Secret erret Policy ulle d. d The secret t policy o of purchasing ha had the secretary's 9 complete approval al ho he said Baid but he hc said hr lw know knee little tittle about the changes made In the quality of oC l the e army uniform As to the change from Crom other machine guns uns to the Browning Mr Ir Baker said Bald If It we could get a better one Cue tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow tomor tomor- row we would adopt It it We YA are alwa always 8 looking for Cor better war material Senator McKellar of or Tennessee lid did most of the questioning about the council of oC national defense lived Iol olk Do UDo you ou think its it's a rood good polly polio to have p sixteen out of or nineteen m members of oC the supply t committee selling to the tho government o lie he asked I I Hs ll bad ball answered the secretary Its as been heen testified that tho they got rot l Continued on Page lage 2 2 BAKER ON STAND DEFENDS ACTIONS Continued From Page Pale 1 In contracts Do you ou ap apProve approve ap- ap prove of this I I 1 dont don't think nn any such thing hap hap- pen ti Its been testified to I 1 cannot help It I 1 cannot believe it t Relieve e Tr Testimony tIon Why by h Mr 1 Secretary A A. 1 L. L Scott testified tes tes- tes-I tes I titled tilled yesterday c t that he fixed the price irIce for cotton duck u l Eventually E his mule got a profit of or between 75 5 and 11 per percent I cent What that do you Olt think about that thaU I cant can't answer ansEr because uso I hi dont don't be believe bo- bo hove lieve an any such thing was done Well if H It was dohe would you ou ap- ap 7 provo pro Oh Senator said the secretary Oh Oh Senator I cant can't answer a 3 hypothetical Now No- let lot mo me tell you Iou what really rc happened He said that Julius and Charles Eisenman of the tho council two men of unimpeachable had gathered about them groups of oC men to advise on prices and whoso whose recommendations recommendations the they could ch check ek up up upon on System l In h Slopped Is it the Intention of or the war ar de department le- le pertinent to continue this system asked Senator McKellar No Xo the practice pr ha hia has been stopped now It was never ne Intended od to continue continue continue con con- Itt I 1 1 want w to congratulate you ou sarcastically sal sar ar- ar commented Senator McKellar The Tle secretary said ald lie ho had cancelled d the tho contract with the Base nase Assorting Asserting company n because Quartermaster General General Gen Gen- eral er Sharp had recommended this ac action action action ac- ac tion on the ground that the profits were wore abnormal anSI and that the government government govern orn ment would begin a r reclamation business business busi busi- ness of or its own He lie said he ha had hai not because looked Into the particulars there thero was no controversy ers then about the con contract tr ShIell fit st Word ord 1 sufficiently I 1 dont don't think Kaplan I. I Is 19 a a. 1 I clent generic enerle term said the secretary secretary secre secre- tary smilingly I The docs does country I 1 have not consulted the country Senator tor Hitchcock was anxious to get through discussing tho Kaplan matter Yes for the tho Lords Lord's sake lets let's get through with It murmured Senator Chambe Chamberlain na In I Tho The discussion came to the policy of ot secret purchases Dont you ou think troubles like the tho Base Baso As Assorting Orting company can happen hn I I. I a. a c rt S n n- I H n n nOh ator t i Weeks k Oh said the sc secretary thc they can happen where there Is no secrecy Navy If Is Smaller The navys navy's open purchases has worked a charm sal said Senator lar The Tho na navy I H is relatively small answered answered answered an an- Mr oIl Baker D The witness was asked If It secret buIn buyIng buyIng buy buy- In Ing did ld not lend tend to a system of or favoritIsm favorit favorit- Is ism ci He said he ho thought little harm had been done In that direction How IToi can we t know lenow asked Senator Weeks eek Ask Mr Eisenman Mr oIl Baker was not quite positive as to whether he had ever been Informed Informed in informed In- In formed of oC the change in uniform cloth He lie said he did not know Imo enough about the matter to approve or disapprove ve the alteration Scheme c me tot ConsIdered Did it ever occur to you ou one ona reason for Cor not accepting the tho wool supply was as asto to boost the tho price of ot shoddy shadd asked Mr Ir McKellar That had not occurred to mc me General Sharpe hod had little to do with I the change chang because Mr 11 Eisenman did It General Sharpes Sharpe's authority was only nominaL saul Bald S frT Ish rJ d I should be surprised l to find such uch a condition In in the testimony said the these se secretary Well Id I'd be bo glad lad if It you ou would look it over o Ie Its It's all there When It came to a qu question cr or men to be trained without equipment equipment equipment equip equip- ment or clothing or waiting until th they could be completely tely fitted Secretary Baker lInker said he compromised and antI sent them b by degrees degree's with the equipment tho they could get And AntI I see no reason renson ho said to criticize m my decision There was not in n m my Judgment an any serious difficulty t ty y encountered by lack of equipment Uniform Supply Complete te He said along the line lino of ot shortage t of f uniforms that while unforeseen conditions had Interfered for a a. time I the he supply w was s now complete and re rei reserves re- re i serves erv s coming comins There are plenty plent of oC in the canI cantonments can can- I 1 too he declared all men who vho need rifles have ha them thorn Senator Weeks would not agree with I this but hut the secretary said I would 1 riot not care to atre tres tho point I think thinh ItI it itIs J I Is s relatively t u unimportant I personally I alluvia 0 all any ensuing in me re- re t chambering I ers Controversy occurred over oyer whether I It Lt was efficient to make the change chanse The Tho secretary t r said War Val wasn't on us because use it was not at our door It H was w miles awa away A great bod body of oC men who went over o had rifles rille Supply of Arms A Assured r IJ Senator Now of or In Indiana lann remarked that former Ambassador Gerard stated state In May Ia 1916 that Germany German would re renew renow re- re now new her policy of or ruthless submarine warfare w that a good time to settle all alt technical questions as s to rifles rInes he inquired I cant can't discuss tho diplomatic re relations re- re lations at that time But this Government Gov gov- was relying on positive assurances assurances assur assur- ances that tho the submarine warfare would not be bo renewed answered Mr r. r Bak Baker c r. r Ever Every man sent sept to Europe has hns boon been armed and those to be bo sent also will willbe willbo be bo n adequately armed said the secretary secretary secre secre- tary r lie added that b by February 15 thore there will be more than them enough arms General PershinG has taken some ome Lewis guns uns from Crom the tha marines and substituted substituted sub sub- guns hUD he lie declared d. It alto also developed that up to thu m morning the war department has re received ro- ro just nine of ot the e. e Too much blame should not bo be placed up upon upon n General Crozier's shoulders s said the secretary for much of ot the needs of or tho the ordnance department had been found out lately after aUer knowledge as aa tho the secretary called ItI ItI It I 1 suppose there are arc practically no machine guns with the tho troops III in this country countr asked Senator Chamberlai Chamber Chamber- lai JaIn a. a Relatively few replied the tile secretary secre secre- tar tary T |
