Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-05-05

He's lawyer. That's all l know about him. 10
ahead, boy, and tell them what you know Baker
told them, and so began the activities which led
to four terms solicitor and legal leader OF the
antitraction combine forces and two terms as
mayor.
asked Mr. Baker how the mayor of Cleveiand's
job compared with that of the secretary of war
81 love personal relationships. One of the
pleasantest things about being mayor of city the
size of Cleveland is the great number of people
with whom 1t puts one into touch. At the war
department find large part of my duties is
taken up with seeing people. l am very glad that
is so. l like to see people constantly Of course.
he explained Il don't mean that focks of casual
visitors drop in to me here. But the business
of the department brings many people to me
daily"
had meant to ask him how the two positions
compared in size and difficulty. He was
committal on that point and suggested that at
least he did not seem appalled, by the size OF his
task, even though the Mexican situation had
given him a baptism of fire for a greeting He
said:
81 am not appalled, No man can hope to escape
mistakes Mistakes are inevitable l know shall
make some. But the only things one need be
really afraid of are insncerites and indirectness
Also it is we'll to remember that unfamiliar tasks
have way of looking mountainous. Familiarity
reduces their proportions. At present 1 am work
ing here from half past eight in the morning till
midnight to become familiar with NINE That
slow mind of NINE" he said smlingly, "compels
me to put in those long hours.
What is your idea of the functions of the secre-
tary of WARP"
"The duties he said ARE largely legal Almost
all the secretaries have been lawyers. (He cited
the names of many, from Stanton down to his
predecessor. Garrison) Strictly military affairs
not my province. Experts must care for those
things Legal questions touching the conflict
ing rights of state and federal governments, the
navigability of streams the proceedings of courts
martal-such things comprise the problems have
to settle | am executive. Congress has made
laws governing my department. 1t is my duty to
see that they are carried out conscientiously."
About preparedness he felt obliged to decline
to say word, and / reminded him of an interview
in which he was recently quoted saying that he
for peace at almost any price,"
so l am he answered stoutly, because peace
seems to me the reasonable thing. / do not say
that is always avoidable. It seems to come
sometimes as earthquakes come-a natural cata-
clysm. The French revolution, think was such a
But is always regrettable Peace is
what spells progress We have to advance step
by STEP l do not think hope to force ad-
vancement by violence And believe that some
times shall have court of nations and no
wars. Was it Lowell said: The telegraph
gave the world nervous SYSTEM? AS our world
gets better co-ordinated by INSTRUMENTATION
shall have fewer of the misunderstanding
which cause wars.
Constantly, as talked alike in his domicile
and in his Office, the secretarys unpretentious
pipe in his mouth. Constantly his knees
crooked and his feet curled up comfortable posi-
lions on radiator top and desk top. Though there
was always dignity about him, we might have been
two undergraduates chatting together. His atti-
tude not suggestive of lounging or of affected
carelessness. 1t was thought, the bodily ease
which is apt to reflect outwardly the mental states
of self-unconsciousness and serene selfconfidence
AS city solicitor of Cleveland in the traction mat
ters he fought the modified legal big guns of
Ohio to standstill As mayor he forced the peo-
pie to retain him until he had done what he set
out to do.
one step from local into national prominence at a
critical moment like the present, is a far more
searching test of his capacities than any he has
yet undergone