Arizona republican., 1916-10-28
Bakers Latest and Worst Break

6akerS Latest ana worst oTeak
 Secretary Lansing, American premier, in name only. may be accomplished diplomat He has never had an opportunity to show the stuff that may be n him for President Wilson the and only head of the state department. MT. Lansing, though without experience in foreign affairs is only a fgurehead. Yet MT Lansing has been called upon Co attempt the difficult task set for dip lomat and he has attempted it-and failed. Macha- ve would have failed for the task was impossible one. But had be attempted; something had to be done in explanation of the latest break of Secretary of War Baker who. as We have stated has displaced Josephus Daniels as champion fathead of the ad ministraton
 On Thursday afternoon Mir. Baker gave prsing evidently without consultation with anybody above the rank of a ward politician. He anticipating the overthrow of Carranza the breaking up of the funny Atlantic City conference and an im mediate conflict that could be postponed with the forces of Villa. All this would constitute a serious embarrassment of the administration; it would fur nish positive proof of the breakdown of what been dlgnified with the name of Mexican policy. would place the administration political disadvantage the very of the election Mir. Baker undertook to administer an antidote to the effect of it.
 The enemies of the administrations Mexican policy said Mir. Baker, trying to bring these events about Positive evidence that is, definite informa- ton" had Mir. Baker that these things brewing and he had forwarded it to the military authorities in Mexico and along the border. Among other things it had been learned that the soldiers of Villa being paid in silver coin Having delivered himself of this surprising statement MT Baker betook himself from Washington
 There could be doubt that the statement promulgated a political document. It could nothing else than that certain Americans had con- ,ros han ttack Inc understanding of the Associated Press correspondent at Washington when he touched upon possibility of prosecutions by the United States government, though evidence of the conspiracy was yet vague and inconclusive." But Baker had said that his in- formation definite"
 The conspirators, it should be noticed. were emies of the administrators Mexican policy and de- sired to bring it into disrepute There of the administrations Mexican policy they are all in the United States Republicans and thousands of democrats enemies of that policy. But it may be presumed that the Mexican policy has no enemies among the Mexican factions the other side of the border. The Carrancisas and the vilstas would not want to Hughes. Roosevelt or any American policy substituted for President Wilson's so-called Mexican policy.
 Ninety nine readers out of every hundred, with any suggestion would understand from Bakers statement that certain Americans. for political pur- poses dscredit the administration were trying to bring about attack upon troops in Mexico or a raid the border.
 That the natural interpretation that Secre- tary Lansing himself placed upon the statement and h that interpretation that moved him. after Baker had left the city hurrledly to
 authorize the statement that Secretary Baker had intention to intimate that American citizens in- voved tn the bandit attack plot The secretary said that had been called his attention that an effort would be made to construe the departments statement as political play, and assault upon the administrations political opponents. He de- nounced such construction absolutely false, de- earing that politics given thought in con nection with the matter, and that it nconceivabe that any American would ally himself with Mexicans to attack his own countrymen.
 Now no reasonable person believe that MT. Lansing saw that statement for if he had done it would have needed subsequent explanation Mir Lansing would have had enough at a glance to understand its meaning and have no other meaning. Again he says Tt had been called to his attention that effort would be made to consrue the departments statement as a political play and assault upon the administrations political opponents"
 Why did MT. Lansing think that such an effort would be made? Within the brief time that had elapsed since the issuance that insane statement there had been opportunity for republican comment upon it The explanation of Mir. Lansing was almost simultaneous with the publication of it. The very language which Mir Lansing could not have seen long before he issued his explanation must have suggested Co him the purpose and the only purpose for which the narrow MT. Baker had issued it.
 Not content with endeavoring to smooth the mean. ing Of the Baker statement, the administration be trayed disposition to get out from under by dis crediting Baker. by statements that nothing wal known at Washington of the conspiracy and that SC far known the statement had no other basil than some information that reached the Mexican am bassador designate long ago that 1t had been for