The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1916-05-05

He's q lawyer. That's all know ABOUT hlW w
ahead, boy. and tell them what you know" Baker
told them, and began the activities which led
to four terms solicitor and legal leader OF the
antitraction combine forces and two terms as
mayor.
l asked Mr. Baker how the mayor of Cleveiand's
job compared with that OF the secretary of war.
Il love personal relationships. One OF the
pleasantest things about being mayor OF q city the
size of Cleveland is the great number Of people
with whom it puts one into touch At the war
department find a large part of my duties is
taken up with seeing people. am very glad that
is like to people constantly. OF course.
he explained, Il don't mean that focks of casual
visitors drop in to see me here But the business
Of the department brings many people to me
daily
l had meant to ask him how the two positions
compared in size and difficulty. He was non
committa that point, and l suggested that at
least he did not seem appalled, by the size Of his
task, even though the Mexican situation had
given him baptism of fire for greeting. He
said:
Il am not appalled, No man can hope escape
mistakes Mistakes are inevitable. l know shall
make some. But the only things need be
really afraid Of insincerities and indirecness.
Also. it is well to remember that unfamiliar tasks
have way Of looking mountainous, Familiarity
reduces their proportions At present am work.
ing here from half past eight in the morning till
midnight TO become familiar with mine. That
slow mind Of mine" he said smilingly. "compels
me to put in those long hours
What is your idea of the functions of the secre
tary of war;"
THE duties" he said, ARE largely legal. Almost
all the secretaries have been lawyers (He cited
the Of many, from Stanton down to his
predecessor. Garrison.) Strictly military affairs
are not my province. Experts must care for those
things. legal questions-touching the conflict
ing rights of state and federal governments, the
navigablity of streams the proceedings of courts
martial-such things comprise the problems have
to settle | am an executive. Congress has made
laws governing my department. 1t is my duty tc
see that they are carried out conscientiously"
About Preparedness" he felt obliged to decline
to say word, and reminded him OF interview
in which he was recently quoted saying that he
was for peace at almost any price"
so am" he answered stoutly, because peace
seems to the reasonable thing l do not say
that war is always avoidable. 1t seems to come
sometimes as earthquakes come natural cata
clysm The French revolution. think. was such
war. But Is always regrettable Peace II
what spells progress We have to advance steI
by step. do not think we can hope to force ad
vancement by violence. And believe that some
times shall have court of nations. and nc
more wars. Was it Lowell said: The telegraph
gave the world a nervous system? As our world
gets better co-ordinated by INSTRUMENTATION
shall have fewer of the Misunderstanding
which wars"
Constantly, as we talked. alike in his domicile
and in his Office, tho new secretarys unpretentous
pipe in his mouth. Constantly his knees
crooked and his feet curled to comfortable posi-
lions radiator top and desk top. Though there
always dignity about him. we might have been
two undergraduates chatting together. His atti
tude was not suggestive Of ounging or Of affected
carelessness. It was thought, the bodily ease
which is apt reflect outwardly the mental states
Of selfunconsciousness and serene self-conHdence.
As city solicitor Of Cleveland, in the traction mat
ters. he fought the mobilized legal big guns Of
Ohio to a standstill. As mayor he forced the PEG
pie to retain him until he had done what he set
out to do.
To be secretary Of war Just now. to be lifted At
one step from local into national prominence at .
critical moment like the present, II . Tar more
searching test Of his capacities than any he has
yet undergone