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Show 11 SECRETARY FORMS CG1CIL Ifl DEMIT Mr. Baker, His First Assistant, Assist-ant, Chief of Staff and i Heads of Army Bureaus Compose Membership. LARGER PROBLEMS WILL BE WORKED OUT All Matters of Supply of' Our Armies in Field to Be i Co-ordinated as Far as Possible. By International News Service. , WASmNGTON, Dec. lo. Secretary of "fi r Baker tonight announced the formation for-mation of a war council within the war department to co-ordinate all supplies for the armies in the field. The council will consist of Secretary of War Baker, Assistant Secretary of War Crowell, Major General Tasker H. Bliss, chief of staff; Major General Henry G. Shai p, quartermaster general; Erasmus Weaver, chief of coast artftlery; William Crozier, chief of ordnance, and Enoch P. Crowder, provost marshal general. The announcement is as follows: Plana which have been under consideration con-sideration for weeks were consummated consum-mated in a general order issued today creating a war council within the war department. At tho outset the council consists of the secretary of war, the assistant secretary of war, the chief of staff, Major General Henry G. Sharpe, Major General Krasmus Weaver,' Major General William Crozier, Major General Enoch II. Crowder. Purpose of Council. The purpose of the council is to oversee and co-ordinate all matters of supply of our field armies and the military relations between the army In the field and the war department. The council will act through the chief of staff and will be proviaed with suitable accommodations and facilities fa-cilities for the transaction of its business. The work of the war council la of-the of-the highest importance and there will be added to the council from time to time general officers of large ex-r' ex-r' perlence, so that it may constitute t vhe main reliance of the department for. the )ar?e planning- and initiative necessary to make our support of the armies in the field most effective and helpful. Upon the return of Genera! Bliss f rot i "Europe, he will bring to the eouneil fresh knowledge of the con -ditions as they affect all branches of the service. From time io time members mem-bers of the council will be directed to spend in the theater of war the time necessary to make general observations ob-servations and special studies for tho information of the council to the end that there may be constantly present pres-ent with the council officers of distinction dis-tinction and ability who have had opportunity op-portunity for personal observation in the theater of war. All details as to the council are at the pleasure of the i secretary of war. While any officer i is detailed to the council, provision will be made to free him from administration ad-ministration duties and responsibilities. responsibil-ities. The war council does not take over the specialized duties of the general staff of the war college, but is intended in-tended to bring to the larger problems of the war department both the experience ex-perience and general training of the officers of the most mature years and largest experience in the service. |