The Elbert County tribune., 1916-02-18
GARRISON RESIGNS
VAR SECRETARY oiFFERa WITH
PRECEDENT ON "cokTINEM
tai ARMY" PLAN; QUITS.
oPposition to Philippine Independence
Measure Also Ground for Action
Of Retiring Officer.-Assistant
Secretary Breckenridge
Also Quits.
Western Newspaper Union New. Service.

Western Newspaper Union News servioe.
Wachington.-Secretary Lindley NJ
Garrison resigned Thursday because
President Wilson would not 'irrevoc-
ably" support the Continental army
plan and because he opposes the ad
ministration's program of Setting a
definite time fo- Philippine indie
pendence.
President Wilson accepted the res
ignation and has not selected sue
cessor. The President himself prob
ably will take personal charge OF the
| administrations national defense
plans in Congress
Assistant Secretary Breckenridge
also resigned as mark OF loyalty to
his chief whose views he shared. Tho
President accepted his resignation
Both take effect Immediately. Major
General Hugh l.. Scott, chief of staff
Of the army. automatically becomes
secretary of war ad Interim.
The resignation came as a distinct
surprise not only to Washington gen.
orally, but to members of the Cabinet
One Cabinet officer said that while he
knew there was difference of opin.
ion between the President and Mr..
Garrison over handling the army
plans, he had not the slightest suspi.
cion that an actual break was impend-
ing. Although Mr.. Garrison first sug.
gested that he leave the Cabinet last
month, Mr.. Wilson did not formally
| a.
Thursday afternoon. when informed
that Mr.. Garrison had left for New
York and that rumor of Ills resigna-.
tion were current. The President then
dictated the letter of acceptance and
dispatched 1t Immediately.
1t was not until O'Clock Thursday
night that formal announcement of the
Garrison and Breckenridge restGna
tions was at the White House.
1t is known that one OF Secretary
Gar.i principal reasons for hii
conviction that only a federal CONT
mental army. instead of re organized
national guard. could be the main mil
itary dependence of the nation, wal
his belief that some day the United
States may be called upon 20 defent
the Monroe doctrine, and in tina
event he foresaw the national guart
might not be available for use outsid,
of the United States before declara
tion of war.
Upon the contention on, the on,
hand that the continental army or ulti
mately universal service was the ma
tion's only reliance, the position, OIL
the other. that no one plan could b,
enforced upon Congress. Presiden
Wilson and his secretary Of war part
ed official company.
Mr.. Garrison's resignation was
complete surprise to official Washing
ton generally. He made no persona
explanation
Several hours before the official an
nouncement he had boarded trair
with his wife for New York, and wort
had been passed at the department
that he had gone for an indefinit,
stay.
The acute differences OF opinion
which led to the break began early IL
the year when opposition to the con
tinental army plan began developing
in Congress.
The circumstances which led up II
the resignation are detailed in the sec
retary's correspondence with the Pres
ident, which was made public tonigh
by the White House.