The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1916-05-05

NHx extraordinary command of concise
[S2a|o and effective speech Without being
in the least ELUSIVE, he is a good
mixer. You will find him full of charm. Out in
Cleveland he lived in a modest frame house with
his wife and three children smoke fake tobacco
In a 25-cent pipe drove his Ford, and for
amusement read Greek and Latin books the
street cars" Thus runs an article by Rowland
Thomas in the New York World
1t is interesting to notice, my informant added
that he is the second of Tom Johnson's disciples
to be lifted into prominence by President Wilson
Brand Whitlock is the other. It is hardly exagger-
alton to say that Brand Whitlock. in Belgium has
proved himself great man. VIII Baker be as
successful IN the war department? Frankly,
much as | like him personally, | am wondering
whether he will measure up to the job What he
mas done he has done well. But-he has never
been tested out in really big affairs. Has he the
capacity for them? You know a .3s-caliber re-
voiver may be perfect weapon-as a revolver
but fall lamentably If pressed into service as a
sracoast gun Is Newton d. Baker big enough to
% secretary of war at a time like this? That's
wat I'm asking myself. That's what the country
Is asking itself think"
Naturally those remarks through my head
as ! talked with the secretary of war last
week saw him twice once in his modest bed
room at the University club, where he is living
for the present as bachelor because the children
are in school in Cleveland and we don't want to
break into their year" The second time he was
In his office in the department, the office to
which one penetrates through that dread ante
chamber where hang the portraits of all the preyi-
Gus incumbents of the office
= On both occasions | got the same impression
OF the physical man Nature, in molding his body
did neat Job He is markedly small man, but
in proportion all the way through. His littleness
carries no suggestion of the dwarhsh His head
Is large. but not enough so to make him look top
heavy. His hands and feet of moderate size
we'll formed and muscular HI has a chest big
enough to breathe in, waist which carries no
adipose luggage. His skin is swarthy, his hair
black and straight. pair OF hazel eyes full Of
life, but comprehensive rather than keen; the
wide mouth Of an orator actor, mobile vet firm
of lip; the brow of scholar; face in general In
which the perpendicular lines of strength are &C
centuated, manner at dignified and friendly
. bearing which should call attentive rather than
alert-these are the characteristics of the outward
His mentality is not easily characterized. I
shall have to try to bring 1t out for you in series
OF rather detached glmpses. he himself
vealed 1t to me in the course Of our conversation
Our talk ranged over many topics. We had. for
instance, been speaking of the extraordinary
amount OF reading OF standard English authors
he had done before he was twenty years old and
asked him whether the familiarity OF his mother
tongue thus acquired had not been important
element In his various successes. He said: Il
think that is true. Ability to express myself ef
This led to a brief sketch OF his personal his
tory. Mr.. Baker born in 1871 IN Martnsburg,
W Va, community OF 1000 persons wherein his
father was the leading physician. He was the
second OF four sons. At the age of twenty. in
1891 he received his degree Of Bachelor OF Arts
from Johns Hopkins university, having completed
the four years course In three years. Followed a
year of graduate work In Roman law comparative
Jurisprudence and economics, and then his law
course. which he took at Washington and Lee uni
versity, completing the two years work in
year. That compression" he told me- was done
for family reasons Money not plentiful in
a country Doctors family, and there were other
sons to educate" After his graduation in 1893
Mr.. Baker hung out his single in Martinsburg to
indicate that he willing to practice law as
he puts it. and remained in that receptive condi-
ton until 1896, the last year Of the Cleveland ad-
ministration, when Postmaster General Wilson
called him to Washington to be his private sec
rotary. Il divided my two cases between the other
members Of the local bar" he told me. and went"
In 1899 Mr.. Baker was invited to come to Cleve-
land O.. q partner with Foran McTigue one
Of the city's leading firms Of trial lawyers. He
went there, met Tom Johnson and was magne-
TIED by that association was drawn into local
politics and had fourteen years Of active cam
pagning there serving four terms a. city solicitor
under Mayor Johnson and two terms as mayor
after his chief was deposed He declined to run
for third term. and had Just resumed his law
practice at the beginning Of this year when he was
called to Warrington.
Returning to our topic, asked him to what
other qualities besides his ability . speaker he
felt indebted tor what he had aceomplishsd He
Ipoodsesd that and said: