Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-11
GARRISON'S SUCCESSOR
TO BE NAMED SOON
Continued from rage One

! sary because OF doubt regarding mis-
right to act as Secretary Of War when
the post is vacant by resignation. Under
the law a temporary appointment of this
character can be issued only for 20 days
and the White House said that as soon as
the new secretary had qualified the tenn
porary appointment would of necessity
expire.
The usual Cabinet meeting was held
| today and 1t is understood that the entire
question Of national defense was under
| consideration The members were utterly
| unCommunicative on leaving and none
| would venture any information regarding
the identity of the candidate the President
has in mind as Garrison's successor.
| Action by the President In virtually
| withdrawing Administration support from
| the Garrison continental army plan, and
! manifestinE a willingness to treat with
its opponents on the basis of proposal
| to increase the National Guard at the
! expense Of the proposed continental army,
is understood to have preciptated the
| break between the President and SeCre.
tary Garrison.
| Although it has been rumored for some
time that Secretary Garrison fclt that
| the President was not giving his army
preparedness program the support to
which it was entitled news Of the rcsigna-
| tion struck official Washington almost
| dumb with surprise.
| take personal charge of the Admnistra.
| tion's national defense plans in Congress.
II transpires that Mr.. Garrison. follow
| ing a lengthy correspondence upon their
! differences Of opinion, abruptly trans
| mtted his resignation to the President at
| o'clock Yesterday morning.
Mr.. Wilson, although not unaware of
/ the possibilities of the situation, was sur
! prised by the action of Mr.. Garrison and
! made an effort to induce the Secretary OF
| War to reconsider. Mr.. Garrison declined
| to withdraw the resignation and dis
! played impatiencc to receive an early ac-
| ceptance.
The President thereupon informed Mr..
| Garrison that he would accept the
| resignation before the close of the day.
| Mr., Wilson wrote his note accepting the
| resignation at o'clock, and Immediately
made public his action.
GARRISON LEAVES CAPITAL.
When the news of the surprising event
| flew through the capital it was discov-
| cred that the Secretary of War had left
! with Mrs. Garrison in the afternoon. Mr..
Garrison had spent less than two hours
at his office in he forenoon, and had
transacted no official business. He did
not reappear at the department in the
afternoon but was seen boarding the
Congressional Limited with Mrs Gar
riSon at 4 o'clock.
Tho resignation was prccipitatcd at this
particular time by the fact that Mr. Gar
risOn waI to address the National Cham
Der of Commerce convention yesterday
afternoon on national defense. He felt it
imperative 10 voice plea to the business
men of the country for support of the
Continental Army plan, with view to
moving Congress to adopt this scheme in
preference to the National Guard pro-
posal. He found that he would not have
the President behind him in such an ap-
peal, and that he would not be- speaking
for the Administration.
Mr.. Garrison, therefore remained away
from the Chamber Of Commerce meeting
He sent word to one of the officers of
the organization that he could not he
present, but tho reason for his failure to
appear was mystery 70 the members
until the news of the resignation spread
through the capital
Details of the developments which led
up to the resignation of the Secretary of
War became known when the White
House summoned the newspaper CORE
spOndents at = O'Clock last night and is
sued copies of the correspondence which
has passed between Mr.. Garrison and the
President since the first of the year.
1t appears from this correspondence that
the Secretary of War delivered a terse
clear-cut and emphatic note in a nature
Of an ultimatum 10 the President Wednes-
day. in which he stated that there were
two questions upon which he is compelled
to declare his position definitely and nm
mistakably," lie referred to the indie
pendence of the Philippines and national
defense.
Mr. Garrison asserted that the Clarke
amendment represents IAN abandonment
of the duty of this nation and a breach
Of trust toward the Filipinos," and that
he could not acquiesce in II. lie said that
il was necessary for him 10 state his
N
House Committee OH the Philippines inn
mediately, and he pointed out that If Nj.
Wilson did not agree with him he could
not present 10 the committee the attitude
OF the Administration.
CITED A NATION IMPERILED.
The Secretary of War; in speak king of
the question of National defense in this
letter. said reliance upon the militia
for national defense" would be IAN un-
justitable imperilling of the Nations
safety" He added that 1t would not
only be a sham in itself. but it's enact
ment into law would prevent If not
-astrOy the opportunity 10 procure
measures OF real genuine national de-
Tense" He said that he could not aC-
eeDt such a substitution for the Con-
tinental Army plan
Mr.. Garrison informed the President
that he would be compelled TO state his
position upon national defense before the
noon.
If with respect TO either natter he
wrote, we are not In agreement upon
these fundamental principles then / could
not, with propriety, remain your seeming
representative in respect thereto our
convictions would be manifestly not only
divergent but utterly irreconcilable.
You will appreciate the necessity of
timely knowledge upon my part Of the
determination reached by you with re-
spect 70 each Of these matters, so that
| may act adyisedly in the premises"
PRESIDENT ANSWERS DEMAND
Confronted with this ultlmatum from
his subordinate TO declare his views once
and for all upon these two questions,
the President replied 70 Mr. Garrison
under date OF yesterday.
Mr.. Wilson In this reply stated that
he regards the Clarke amendment free
ing the Fiipinos from two 10 four years
hence as 'unwise at this time: but that
Il would be inadvisable for him 10 pro-
nOunce judgment upon Il until il should
be passed BY Congress and laid before
him for his approval o. disappHoyal =