The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-02-11
EX-GOv ernOr Walsh of Mass.
achusetts Suggested for
Secretary of War
MIR. WILSON TO DIRECT
THE MILITARY POLICY
The Announcement of a Vacancy in the
Cabinet Came as a Great Surprise tc
Cficial Washington - Clash Over
Army Plans.

WASHINGTON. Feb. II. = Today
President Wilson held himself person
ally in charge of the administration S
plan for strengthening the army and
working out a definite military poll
ey through the resignation yesterday
of Secretary Of War Lindley NJ. Garri-
son.
He has not selected q successor to
Mr.. Garrison and it is regarded as
probable that even after the new head
Of the war department is named the
President viii continue to handle the
preparedness plan to a great extent
himself.
Secretary Garrison IS resignation took
official Washington by complete sur
prise. Even members of the Presidents
official family were unaware of the
secretary's contemplated action, al
though one OF them said that he knew
that Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Garrison diff
fered over the handling of the army
plan.
The first intimation that anything
unusual had happened came when Sec
retary Garrison let it be known late
yesterday that he was leaving the city
for "an indefinite stay and would
not make the promised speech before
the annual meeting of the chamber of
commerce of the United States in de-
fense of his continental army plan.
The secretary left for New York ac-
companied by Mrs. Garrison, without
making any personal explanation. As
sistant Secretary Henry G. Brecken-
ridge, who also resigned, left Washing
ton with Mr.. Garrison.
While Secretary Lane was being con
sidered in official circles as a likely
choice as Mr.. Garrison s successor it
was understood that the President has
under consideration the name of two
or three other men and win not make
an appointment before weighing their
qualifications carefully.
The President has already made up
his mind to appoint q Democrat to the
place. Former Gov. Walsh of Massa-
chusetts. Secretary Houston, former
Governor Harmon of Ohio and former
Mayor Baker Of Cleveland were added
to the names being discussed.
The cabinet met today with vacant
chair for the first time since Mr.
Bryan 3 resignation. The departure of
Nh. Garrison with its possible effects
on the administration and the pre-
paredness program was discussed
thoroughly. Reports that there might
be other designations from the cabinet
were met with general dcnials.
Supporters OF the President de
clare that ne and Mr.. Garrison agreed
on the underlying principles of both
the military and the Philippine ques
tions, but differed on the method OF
carrying out their policies.
Mr.. Garrison resigned because Pres
dent Wilson would not 'irrevocably' ?
support the continental army and be
cause he opposed the administration
program of setting definite time fo
Philippine independence.
Assistant Secretary Henry w. Breck
enridge also resigned as a mark o
loyalty to his chief, whose views h
shared. The President accepted his res
ignation. Both take effect Immediately
Maj Gen. Hugh Scott, chief of stat
Of the army, automatically become
secretary of war al interim
1t is known that one of Secretar,
Garrison s principal reasons for hi
conviction that only a federal cont
nentai army instead of reoreanize
National Guard could be the main mi
itary dependence of the nation was hi
belief that some dag the United State
NAV be called upon to defend the Nor