The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-04-08
BY. CAMPBELL CORY.

By j. CAMPBELL CORY.
Special Cartoonist Of the Times.
The Garrison finish of track
tradition has nothing on the Gar
rison start as exhibited by Presi-
dent Wilson's new secretary of
war. This cabinet officer spent
just about the time of a taxicab
voyage from the capitol to the
war department between taking
his oath of office and getting
down on the job. The formali-
ties attendant upon his induction
into his overcoat and hat on a peg
and sitting down behind the big
mahogany desk reserved for the
boss of the army.
A Georgia nanny, reversing
the browning corncakes on a
steaming griddle, could show no
greater facility in turning things
upside down than did Garrison
when he began to tackle the prob
lem which his new work present
ed.
Garrison has a startling d.
rectness of manner. He doesn't
beat around the conversational
bush; he jumps over it. Take
the case of Maj. Gen. Leonard
Wood, for some time chief of
staff. It's a wide-open secret
that many of Mr.. Garrison's Off
cial advisers of the department
hold no kindly feeling toward the
man who rose from army sur
geon to the highest military rank
within fifteen years over the
heads of men years his senior in
age and service. Here is a con-
versation which took place in the
presence Of at least a half dozen
persons in the secretary's office
the other day.
Have any congressman spok-
en- to you against General Wood
since the 4th of March, Mr.. Sec
retary?" inquired a searcher aft
er truth, and then continued,
Can you answer that?"
Secretary Garrison shot a quiz
zical glance at the questioner, a
newspaper correspondent, and re-
piled, with a somewhat discon-
certing avoidance of evasion:
Yes, can answer. but I
won't"
Garrison has nearly a couple of
years to travel before he reaches
the half-century mark. His IRON
gray hair is an accident and not
a symptom of advancing years.
His brusqueness is more a man.
nerism than an evidence of lack
of sympathy. He is a six-eylin-
der worker and already has earn
ed among those who have come
in contact with him the title of
the live wire of the administra-
tion."
The secretary enjoys the dis
tinction of having been born In
the state from which he was APP
pointed to the cabinet. Camden,
N. j., was his birthplace, and his
activities up to the time he was
offered this job had taken him no
farther than Jersey City, where
he sat as vice chancellor. The
job of vice chancellor is no sine
tuiOs AtSdi dLldlU n1tuLb are
necessary for the proper dis
charge of the duties of the place,
but the prime requisite Is horse
sense. The cases brought before
a New Jersey vice chancellor in
volve questions of equity rather
than those of statute law. 1t
was just this experience in an
equity court that brought Garri-
son into the cabinet.
When Woodrow Wilson adj
vanced from apprentice to Jour-
neyman cabinet-maker he decid-
ed that the war department
needed for its own good a chief
who could decide cases on their
merits and leave the statute law
end OF the business to the de-
Dartment OF justice. He knew
dnrrison---had known him for
years--apd was sure that prece-
dent, formula and traditions
would weigh little In the balance
against common senRe when he