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Show CASUALTIES NEARLY ALL REPORTED Remaining Names in List . Largely Men Wounded Only Slightly, Secretary Secre-tary Baker Announces By Associated Prats. WASHINGTON, Dee. 3. See-ret See-ret ry Raker, appearing before the senate military com-mittee com-mittee today to explain the delay in completing the publication of American casualties overseas, said he thought most of the unreported names were those of men slightly wounded and would come by mail. 8ENATORS MAKE INQUIRY. Senators were unable to understand why only somet tiding over loo.ooo names have been published, when it has leen officially announced that the casualties number 262. 6t3. -The secretary secre-tary said every effort consistent with accuracy was made to prevent delay and that General Pershing had been j urgd repeatedly to expedite bis lists, ; send nx the names of the il-ad first. ' NO NAMES HELD UP. "The department from the hem inning," in-ning," Mr. Baker said, "has never held up, withheld or delayed giving- out casualty lists. Our policv has been to give a complete statement as soon as possible." General Marcti. chief of staff, and I Assistant Secretary Keppel aere with j the secretary.- Mr. Keppel km id the : system of obtaining and verifying casualty cas-ualty reports in France had been slow at first, and if It had to be done over again it probably would.be d"tie differently. differ-ently. MISUNDERSTANDING. Secretary Baker said many complaints com-plaints had been based upon misunderstanding. misun-derstanding. ( '"Has there' been any unwarranted: delay on the other side','" asked Sen- j atnr Weeks of Massachusetts "I don't feel free to say that," Mr ; Baker answered. "Has General Pershing leen asked 1 to expedite the reports '" ("Repeatedly; repeatedly." i "There have been so many cases it j , seems to me the svstern was Ineffi- cieru." Senator Weeks observed. ACCURACY TAKES TIME. I "We had to choose between speed and unreliable Information and a somewhat slower system. lsit relia-I relia-I ble." answered the secretary. Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska said that soldiers' mail has been aw fully delayed and that there must be liter- J f ally shiploads of It held up. j I Mr. Baker disagreed and also said : i be doubted If a statement by Senator New of Indiana, that it takes an t 'average of twelve daa to get answers! -to letters to the department, could be' I true. 'coming by mail. I Senator Johnson of California asked i what waa aoldtng un the names of ttie men included in the total number! already announced. j i "I don't know why. Secretary. I'.a- ; ker answered. "We se getting them ; mm. rapldlv? as the rahies ate able in, csrry them. I think the msjor part of I Continued on pjge 1 ) j CASUALTIES t f on timied from pa ge t those missing are of men slightly wounded and coming by mall. "I cabled General Pershing a suggestion sug-gestion made to me by Mr. Stone of the Associated Press, to send the denths first and let the seriously wr.pnded follow and then the slightly wounded. I asked General Pershing ' if his machinery was adapted to cable the deaths first. He replied that ending of wounded was not delaying J the lists of dead and that no speed j rnl 1 1 ri Im. rnOan ht' I H rtr-at anv . I ! gested " ! MARCH MAKES STATEMENT. Ob(ouilv. Onc-al Mnreh haid. while stive fighting whs In progress, prog-ress, report ?4 o( cm 11:1 It ies wre dow Senator 1 1 itcii-'ot-k conceded tht while fighting was in progress re- porls might le slow, hut ddd: "Rut' it stopped November II. and ! slill f don't know what ha hap-1 hap-1 (H'ned , nrn ! M:' rch rplid ha t on No-' No-' vtvnber II be Ceilld 'ienTnl Pr-i Pr-i shing to send prompMv a eornplete . ttilyl castialtv summrv of riestd and 1 ntiNiiig. General Pershing replied ! that It would be don and a rowrt I of seriously wounded would come I without delaying reports on the dead I and m!s!ng Senator I'rlinghuysn of Nw .Ter-! .Ter-! sey said that apparently the total American dnth a-ere 60.o0rt. and of thes onlv 4L' have been reported. H )tgp.) t4u Hie ooTnmUtc- act La . evned'te tbe fin:M returns. |