The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-02-11
GARRISON
RESIGNS FROM CABINET
Failure of Congress to Adopt
the Continental Army
Scheme Cause.
WILSON'S POSITION
Willing to Leave 1t to Congress.
While Carlson Insisted on
Department Plan.

retary Garrison resigned today
because President Wilson would
not 'irrevocably" support the
continental army plan, and be-
cause he opposes the Admin
istration's program of selling
definite time for Philippine in
dependence.
President Wilson accepted the
resignation but has not selected
successor. The President him
self probably will take personal
charge of the Administrators
National defense plans in Con-
gress.
Assistant Secretary Brecken-
ridge also resigned as a mark
of loyalty to his chief, whose
views he shares. The President
accepted his resignation. Both
take effect Immediately. Major
General Scott, Chief of Staff of
the Army, automatically be-
! comes Secretary of War adj in e.
terim.
It is known that one of Sec
retarY Garrison's principal rea-
sons for his conviction that only
a Federal continental army in
stead of a reorganized National
Guard should be the main milit
ary dependence of the Nation
his belief that some day the IN
tied States may be called upon
to defend the Monroe Doctrine
and in that event he foresaw
that the National Guard might
not be available for use outside
of the United States before a
declaration of war.
Upon that contention on the
one hand, that the continental
army or ultimately universal SER
vice was the Nations only reli-
ance, and the position on the
! other, the r0 c~r sian could be
upon Congress, President VIII
son and his Secretary of War
parted official company.
Mr. Garrison resignation was
p con'p'ote surnrien to oaiafal
'|aoh.n~ton generally TIE mad
mo ner.an' explanation Sova
ho'u'f before The af.l annovr.
c-waui he he'd hoeraad train
with his wifc 60 New YOrl, anl
word had been passed ~ the
Wal Department that he had
gone for an indefinite stay.
The acute differences of opin-
~ which led to the break be
gan early in the year when op-
position to the continental army
plan began developing in Con-
gress. There had been indefinite
rumors of the possibility of the
Secretary of War leaving the
Cabinet. but they never were
/ countenanced in official quar-
tiers. The Secretary everywhere
was regarded as one of the
strong nen of the Administra-
tion upon whom the President
leaned in the difficult situations,
both domestic and international,
which have marked his Admin
istratien.
The circumstances which led
up to the resignation are detail
ed in the Secretary's correspond
ence with the President which
was made public tonight by the
White House. The President. the
letters disclose, believed that the
training, organization and con-
troll of military reserve should
be under immediate Federal di-
rection, but rs not "irrevocabIv
or dogmatically committed to
any one plan" He wrote Mr..
Garrison that he could not force
any Specific plan on Congress
and added:
II must welcome a frank in.
terchangeof views and a patient
and thorough comparison of all
the methods proposed for OBJ
tanning the object we all have in
view"
Mr.. Garrison's contention that
only the plans of the War De-
partment could be considered
seemed to the President wholly
unjustifiable." Mr.. Garrison con-
sidered reliance upon the militia
for National defense an unjustifi-
able and importing of the Ma
: tion's safety" In resigning he