New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-07
Cleveland's x-Mayor
Named to Succeed
Garrison.
SAY WILSON WILL
BE REAL HEAD
Appointee To Be a Mere
Executive Officer, Cap
ital's Belief.
HON IRE Tribuns BureAu.

Washington. March 6.-Newton Diehl
Baker. ox-Mayor of Cleveland, has been
chosen TO succeed Lindley VI. Garrison
as Secretary Of War. and has accepted,
IL was announced al the White House
today. His nomination will go 10 the
Senate tomorrow. and Administration
leaders expect quick confirmation, so
the new Secretary may take active
charge Of the War Departments plans
for increase and reorganization of the
army.
Mr.. Bakers appointment came as a
surprise. for. while he was mentioned
for the Office Immediately after the
resignation Of Mr.. Garrison. It had been
supposed lately among officials that the
President would pick Secretary Of Agri-
culture Houston for the place.
Mr. Baker had been counted out o.
the running largely because he IS
known as pacifist. The Presidents
friends have declared that he would
attempt primarily 10 find a man who
was familiar with the duties Of the Of
fec. and that IL this was not possible
he would pick one Who was thoroughly
in aoeord. with ms preparedness poll
cies
Wilson To BE Head In Fact.
Cleyeland's ex-Mayor has had no ex-
perience with military problems, beins
known chiefly as civic reformer. Be
fore serving his two terms a. Mayor
ne acted as City Solicitor under Mayor
Johnson during the street railway
franchise fight.
He ia, however, a personal friend OF
the President. and was offered the In
terror portfolio Hhen the Cabinet was
formed originally. He declined it, pre-
rerring 10 serve out his term as city
executive.
II is assumed that in appointing Mr..
Rsker President Wilson contemplated
exercising a closer control over the De
partment Of Wsr than was the case
when Secretary Garrison was IN ONCE.
Particularly during the latter months
OF Mr.. Garrison's regime the Presi-
dent was made 20 feel that the once
would he conducted according 70 the
ideas Of its chief. and that, whatever
the pressure in Congress. there would
be no compromise.
Mr.. Baker, il is expected, will follow
the Presidents lead IN matters OF pol
icy. Having, so far as is known, no
fixed idea. on the reorganization Of the
army. il i. assumed he will be willing
10 adopt Mr.. Wilson's views. In other
words. the President will become the
actual Secretary Of War, and Mr.. Baker
merely the executive oficer Of the de-
psrtmen:.
Counted a Political Error.
In Congressional circles it was gen
orally believed the appointment OF Mr..
Baker was made at least partly for po-
litical reasons. the President hoping
thus TO strengthen his chances for get
ting Ohio's twenty-four electoral vote.
next November As 10 its actual effect
there are divergent views, but it is gen.
orally thought the President made q
poor bargain from this point of view.
A Cleveland man pointed out tonight
that when Baker was Mayor ne threw
all his support and that Of mis- admin
istraton TO Representative Bulkley in
the primary contest following the re-
districting of the state. By this redis-
tricting. Representative Crosser, who
had been at large, was thrown into
Bulkleys district in Cleveland, and the
two fought it out in a primary to deter
mine which should be the nominee. De-
spite the ardent support Of Baker.
Crosser won out hanoiiy. Al the time,
the Cleveland man said, Mayor Baker
admitted he felt hurt BY the result, be-
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