Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 200, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1919 — BAKER NOT SURE OF PEACE; DEFENDS HUGE ARMY. [ARTICLE]

BAKER NOT SURE OF PEACE; DEFENDS HUGE ARMY.

Washington, Aug. 18. —Secretary Baker defended today (before the senate sub-committee on military affairs his recommendation for an army of 576,000 men by saying that in view of the “disturbed conditions in the world,” he did not wish ti. “responsibility” of asking for a small force. Secretary Baker indicated several times that the bill as presented including its provision for compulsory universal military training for la year old youths was that of military experts rather than his own, although it had his approval. He said that his own view was that an army of 576,000 was perhaps somewhat larger than necessary, but that he did not wish to take the responsibility of opposing opinion of the country’s greatest military men. Regarding the provision of maintenance of three divisions in the insular possessions, the secretary admitted that the force appeared to him somewhat large and agreed to ithe suggestion, of Senator Wadsworth of New York that native troops might fie used to advantage. The senator had remarked that at present it seemed that every American soldier kept in the Pinlippines was there somewhat in the nature of a “hostage of faith.” « The secretary also considered as worth wnile a suggestion that a part of the youth of the country might be given the opportunity for naval training, possibly as a substitute for the training he otherwise would receive in the army. The interrogation of the secretary offered the opportunity for securing his opinion on the proposed establishment of an air ministry. Senator New, of Indiana, presented arguments for the separation of the military aeronautics, but Secretary Baker was frank in his declaration of opinion that it would make for inefficiency.