Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-02-11

Washington, Feb. ll-Wlth Eeneral
Scott chief Of the United States army
staff acting as secretary of war, Presi-
dent Wilson today consigned success
ors for Secretary of War Lindey M.
Garrison and Assistant Secretary
Breckenridge, who quit their posts as a
result Of disagreement with president
on the preparedness question.
Speculation as to the successors,
however, was buried in official quar-
ters beneath consideration Of the diff.
ferences between the president and
Garrison which brought the breach. The
war secretary regarded these as diff
ferences in principle, not merely Ill
methods of achieving adequate national
defense.
Though there had been rumors that
Garrison intended to quit because of the
apparent failure of the continental
army plan he advocated, the immedi-
ate cause of his resignation is believed
to be the following note from the presi'
dent, regarding the speech the secretary
was scheduled to make last night before
the chamber of commerce of the United
States.
"You need feel no hesitation about
expressing your personal views on both
subjects preparedness and Philippine
independence but / hope you will be
kind enough to draw very carefully the
distinction between your individual
views and those Of the administra-
ton"
Would Override President
Correspondence between the president
and Garrison revealed that the presi-
dent was not "irrevocably" committed
to the continental army plan. Gar
rison, on the other hand, insisted that
this was the only means of providing
proper defense. At the same time, he
was opposed to the Clarke amendment
to the Philippine bill, whereby indie
pendence would be granted the ISLANDS
in two to four years.
Garrison, too, objected to the plan
of Chairman Hay Of the house military
committee whereby the militia would
be federalized This scheme, he sug-
gester to be mockery" while at the
same time realizing that most of the
members Of the congress did not have
the vital interest in military affairs re-
quired for proper consideration there
Of.
Breckenridge retirement followed
Garrison's as a matter of loyalty, for
he entertained the same views Of the
continental plan as did Garrison.
Everywhere today officials expressed
surprise at Garrison 3 course. He was
generally popular both from an official
and a personal standpoint, and his re-
tirement, therefore, shocked many
here.
In announcing his objections to feder-
alization Of the militia, Garrison wrote
the president on January 12:
His Plan Alone Good,
"Any other solution (than the con.
tinental plan) is illusory and not real;
is apparent and not substantial
there is unfortunately very little know
ledge and very little intense personal
interest in any of the members of the
house concerning military affairs
in these circumstances, it seems to me
perfectly clear that, unless you inter.
pose your position as leader Of the coun'
try on this great subject, the result
will be the lamentable one / have dc
scribed."
The latter referred TO a lack Of uni
fication in time Of need and tendency
toward politics in the militia.
Answering Garrison, President Wilson
wrote that 1T am not irrevoeably OF
dogmatically committed to any one plar
Of providing the nation with such Q
reserve and am cordially willing to dis
cuss alternate proposals."
His Philippine Theories.
On the Philippine question, Garrison