The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-03-08
NEWTON D. BAKER
WAR SECRETARY
FORMER EXECUTIVE OF OHIO
CITY ACCEPTS CABINET POSI-
TON RENDERED HIM.

Washington, March 6.-Newton D.
Baker, former mayor of Cleveland,
has been selected by President Will
son for secretary of war.
Mr.. Baker has accepted the posi-
ton and is arranging his affairs in
Cleveland preparatory to coming to
Washington to take up his duties.
The eselection of Mr.. Baker is un-
derstood to have been discussed by
President Wilson with Colonel House
today.
When President Wilson was max
ing up his cabinet in 1913 he offered
the place of secretary of interior to
Mr.. Baker twice. Mr.. Baker then
was mayor of Cleveland and declined
for that reason.
The president and Mr.. Baker have
been close friends for some time and
have corresponded frequently. Mr..
Baker is said by his friends to be in
close sympathy with the presidents
policies and is known to have had the
support of some members of the cabi-
net for the war office.
When President Wilson recently
was touring the Middle West on his
preparedness program he saw Mr. Ba-
ker in Cleveland and had a long talk
with him.
Mr.. Baker has been in Washington
frequently of late and on his last visit
here said he had not bee offered the
post of secretary of war and did not
believe he would be.
Ever since Lindley M. Garrison re-
signed the president has been seeking
a Middle Western lawyer for the
place.
At the White House today it was
neither officially confirmed nor de-
MED that Mr. Baker would get the
place. Officials strongly encouraged
the use of his name and it was under
stood that Mr.. Baker had been def
nitely selected.
The 3O-day period for which Maj.
Gen. Hugh L. Scott, chief of staff.
was designated as secretary of war
ad interim, will expire March II. 1t
is believed that Mr.. Bakers nomina-
ton will be sent to the senate before
that time.
Mr.. Baker is Al years old. He was
born in Martinsburg, w. Va, and at
the age of rs was appointed private
secretary to Postmaster General Will
Son in President Cleveland's cabinet
In 1897 he began the practice of law
at Martinsburg. He later moved to
Cleveland, where he became city So
licitor in 1902. He held this office for
10 years until his election as mayor.
In 1914 he was reelected mayor for
a two-year term.
Mr.. Baker has received degrees at
Johns Hopkins and Washington &
Lee Universities.
For years Mr.. Baker has been close
ly identified with the reform move
ment in Cleveland. When Mayor Tom
Johnson died Mr.. Baker took up the
fight for lower street car fares and
finally brought about an adjustment
of street railway franchises in Cleve-
land.
At the time of the Baltimore con-
vention Mr.. Baker was prominently
for the vice presidency be-
cause of the fight he made for Mr..
Wilson.
Mr.. Baker has been known for
years as leader of the Ohio bar and
is highly regarded by the president
as a lawyer. Mr. Wilson wanted the
place filled by lawyer because of
legal questions constantly arising in
the administration of the war depart
ment, the Philippines, the Panama
canal and Porto Rico.
Mr.. Baker is member of the Ohio
state Democratic committee and
chairman of the executive committee
of his county committee. He has the
record of having run for public office
in Cleveland during IA consecutive
years without defeat.
Mr.. Baker is understood to have
specified when he joined his law firm
that he would be free for six months
prior to the next election to work for
President Wilson's reelection.