Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-02-26
Letters Explain Why Garrison Has Resigned
He Declines to Remain Cabinet With Wilson Listening to
House Leaders Who Favor National Guard in Federal Pay
as Against His Own Plan Of Continental Army-Crczes
Hay Scheme

Secretary Of War GarriSon's sudden
resignation from the cabinet was not
80 sudden after all, it is apparent with
the arrival in Honolulu of copies ol
the correspondence that passed be
tween Mr.. Garrison and the presi
dent
This correspondence was given t.
the press just after Garrison resign
ed
! . In the correspondence, which began
on Jan. u, the secretary said:
Jan. IL, 1916.
| My Dear Mr. PreSident:
In my judgment we are facing a
critical juncture with respect to the
military part of the national defense
| program. >..L=
! am convinced that unless the stu
alton is dealt with promptly and eff.
| fectively, we can indulge in no reason
able expectation of any acceptable re
I suit
So far as the military part of ma.
tional defense is concerned, there can
| be no honest or worthy solution which
does not result in national forces un.
der the exclusive control and author.
ity of the national government. Any
other solution is illusory and not real,
is apparent and not substantial
The policy recommended to you and
adopted by you squarely placed the
nation upon the sure foundation of
national forces. If that policy is made
effective by legislation there will be
secured to this country for the first
time real, stable foundation for the
military part of its national defense.
State Troops Seen As Stumbling Block.
If, however, instead thereof policy
| is adopted based upon the state troops
as the main reliance of this country
| for its military arm, not only has no
| advance been made from the deplor-
able and inexcusable situation in
| which we have so long been, but an
effective block has been placed across
the pathway toward proper settle
| ment.
The adoption of such policy would
| serve to delude the people into believ.
ing that the subject had been settled
and therefore required no further con.
| sideration upon their part. It would.
therefore, in my judgment, be infinite
ly worse than an entire failure of all
| legislative enactment upon the sub.
ject The latter would at least leave
ait open for future settlement s.
Ia my Judgment the effect of the
enactment of Mr.. Hays program
would be to set back the whole cause
of legitimate, honest national defense
In an entirely unjustifiable and mex
cusable way -
Mr.. Hays proposal to include a
draft or compulsory provision so that
at the outbreak Of war the nation
could bring under its control these
state troops, utterly fails to meet the
essential objections TO the perpetua,
ton of the militia system.
] cannot, therefore, too strongly
urge upon you my view Of the i'm.
peratiye necessity of your seeking an
occasion at the earliest possible mo.
ment to declare yourself with respect
to the matter, and in doing so, to
make 1t clear beyond peradventure
that nothing except national forces.
raised by the nation and subject TO
its exclusive authority. responsibility
and control Is any real settlement Of
this issue Sincerely yours.
LINDLEY M. GARRISON.
responsibility Rests With You and
III withdraw He Writes.
The correspondence shows that a
conversation between the president
and the secretary followed this letter,
for on January IA, Garrison wrote:
as. Jan. II, 1916.
Ny Dear Mr.. President: What you
said by way of response to my letter
of the 18th requires me to make my
position perfectly clear to you.
You stated that Mr.. Hay told you
that your proposal of federal volun
teers could not be procured, and that
the same end for which YOU were
striving ii is believed could be pro-
cured by other .means-by utilizing
the state troops as the basis of the
policy and making appropriations of
pay to the states conditioned on fed
eral control of the state troops.
You statedAto him that you were
not interested in any particular pro
gram or means of accomplishing the
purpose of securing them, and would
accept his proposal if it accomplished
that purpose.
We cannot hope to see our program,
based on this essential principle, sue.
coed if we admit the possibility OF
compromise with respect to it.
Yours is the ultimate responsibility;
yours is the final determination as tc
the manner in which the situation
shall be faced and treated. fully rea-
lie this and do not desire to cause
you the slightest embarrassment on
my account; if. therefore, my with
drawal from the situation would re
lieve you, you should not hesitate fol-
moment, on that account.
Sincerely yours,
LINDLEY NJ. GARRISON.
President Promises to Put Veto II
On Any Weak Military Measure.
To that the president replied: i
49,. January II, 1915. Il
My Dear Mr. Secretary: