The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-02-17
eEcRETARY OF WAR RESIGNS BE-
CAUSE WILSON WILL NOT Or
REVOCABLY" SUPPORT CONT
MENTAL ARMY PLAN.
"HOPEi ESSLY DISAGREE ON
IMPORTANT FUNDAMENTALS"
Opposition to Administrators Pro-
gram of Setting Definite Time for
Philippine independence Another
Reason for Action-Breckis!-
ridge Also Gives Up Post.


ridge Also Gives Up Post.
Washington, Feb. 12-SecTetary OF
War Lindley M. Garrison has resigned
because President Wilson will not "ir-
revocably" support the continental
army plan, and because he opposes
the administrations program OF set
ting a definite time for Philippine indie
pendence.
Resignation is Accepted.
President Wilson accepted the res-
fgnation and has not yet selected a
successor The President himself will
probably take personal charge Of the
administration national defense
plans in congress.
Breckenridge Also Resigns.
Assistant Secretary Breckenridge
also resigned as a mark Of loyalty to
his chief, whose views he shared. The
President accepted his resignation.
Both take effect Immediately.
Major General Hugh l.. Sect, chief
of staff of the army, automatically be-
For Federal Ccntinenta! Army.
It is known that one Of Secretary
Garrison's principal reasons for his
conviction that only federal con-
tinental army instead of a reoTganiZed
national guard could be the main mill
tary dependence of the nation was his
belief that some day the United States,
may be called upon to defend the Mon
roe 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
Surrriae to Officials.
Upon the contention Oh the one
hand that the Continental army, on
ultimately universal service was the
nations only reliance and the posi-
ton on the other that no one plan
could be enforced upon Congress,
President Wilson and his secretary OF
war parted official company.
Mr.. Garrison's resignation was a
complete surprise to official Washing
ten generally. He made no personal
explanation. Several hours before the
official announcement he had boarded
a train with his wife for New York
and word had been passed at the de-
partment that he had gone for an in.
definite stay.
Differences Leading to Break.
The acute differences which led to
the break, began early in the year
when opposition to the Continental
army plan began developing in Con.
gress.
There had been indefinite runners of
the possibility of the secretary of war
leaving the cabinet, but they never
were countenanced in official quar-.
ters.
The secretary everywhere was re-
garded as one of the strong men of
the administration, upon whom the
President leaned in the difficult situa.
tons, both domestic an1&nternatzonal
which have marked his administration.
Letters Are Made Public.
The circumstances which led up to
the resignation, are detailed in the
secretary's correspondence with the
President, which was made public by
the White House. The President, the
letters disclose, believes the training,
organization and control of & military
reserve should be under Immediately
federal direction, but is not "irrevoc.
ably or dogmatically committed to any
one plan"
Mr. Wilson wrote Mr.. Garrison that
he could not force any specific plan on
Congress and added: 81 must wei
come frank interchange of views and
patient and thorough comparison OF
all the methods proposed for obtain
ing the objects we all have in view"
1--WE HopeIessiy Disagree"
Mr.. Garrison's contentious that only
the plans of the war department could
be considered seemed to the President
wholly unjustifable."
Mr.. Garrison considered reliance
upon the militia for national defense
as unjustifiable and importing of the
nations safety" In resigning hs
wrote the President: 1T is evidently
that we hopelessly disagree upon what
l conceive to be fundamental prin.
c;ples."