The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1916-03-07
WILSON SELECTS
ohio MAN AS NEW
WAR SECRETARY
Ex-MAYoR OF CLEVELAND is
T. NAMED TO SUCCEED LIND
LEY M. GARRISON.
WAS OFFERED PLACE IN 1913
Prominent Lawyer of the Middle
West Is rendered the Port
folio and He Has Accepted the
Position.
WAS OFFERED PLACE IN 1913

WASHINGTON, March 6.-NeWton
D. Baker, former mayor of Cleveland,
has been selected by President Wilson
for secretary of war.
Mr.. Baker has accepted the position
and is arranging his affairs in Cleve-
land preparatory to coming to Wash
ington to take up his duties.
The selection of Mr. Baker is un-
derstood to have been discussed by
President Wilson with Col. House to-
day.
When President Wilson was making
up his cabiret in 1913 he offered the
place of secretary of interior to Mr..
Baker twice. Mr. Baker was then
mayor of Cleveland and declined for
that reason.
The president and Mr.. Baker have
been close friends for some time and
have corresponded frequently. Mr.
Baker is said by his friends to be in
close sympathy with the presidents
policies and is known to have had the
support of some members of the cab
met for the war office.
when President Wilson recently
Was touring the middle west on his
preparedness program, he saw Mr..
Baker in Cleveland and had long
talk with him.
Mr.. Baker has been in Washington
I sQuently of late and on his last visit
-iere said he had not been offered the
1nof oe TO nf nd ,,1f
beleve he would be.
Ever since Lindley M. Garrison re-
signed the president has been seek
ing a middle western lawyer for the
place.
At the White House today it was
neither officially confirmed nor de-
MED that Mr.. Baker would get the
place. Officials strongly encouraged
the use of his name and it was un-
derstood that Mr.. Baker had been
definitely selected.
The thirty-day period for which
Maj. Gen. Hugh L. Scott, chief of
staff, was designated as secretary of
war ad interim, will expire March II.
1t is believed Mr.. Bakers nomination
will be sent to the senate before that
time. Mr.. Baker is Al years old.
He was born in Martinsburg, W.
Va, and at the age of 25 was ap-
pointed private secretary to Postmas-
ter General Wilson, in President
Cleyeland's cabinet. In 1897 he be-
gan the practice of law at Martins
burg. He later moved to Cleveland
where he became city solicitor in
1902. He held this office for ten
years, until his election as mayor In
1914 he was reelected mayor for a
two-year term.
Mr. Baker received degrees at Johns
Hopkins and Washington and Lee uni
versities.
For years Mr.. Baker has been
closely identified with the reform
movement in Cleveland. When Mayor
Tom Johnson died Mr.. Baker took
up the fight for lower street cal
fares, and finally brought about ar
adjustment of street railway fran
chises in Cleveland.
At the time of the Baltimore con
VeQIlOU bdhtT HdS
mentioned for the vice presidency
because of the fight he made for Mr.
Wilson.
Mr.. Baker has been known fol
years as a leader of the Ohio bal
and is highly regarded by the presi
dent as lawyer. Mr.. Wilson wanted
the place filled by a lawyer because
of legal questions constantly arising
in the administration of the war de
partment, the Philippines, the Panam;
a4aal and Porto Rico.
TtI Baker is member of thu
Oi state Democratic committe,
and chairman of the executive com
mittee of his county committee. II,
has the record of having run fo
public office in Cleveland during l.
consecutive years without defeat
Mr.. Baker is understood to havi
specified when he Joined his law firm
that he would be free for six month";
prior to the next election to work TO
President Wilson's reelection.