Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-11

! Sincerely yours.
WOODROW WILSON.
Hon. Lindley NJ. Garrison.
Secretary of War.
upon you my view Of the imperative
at the earliest possible moment to de-
clare yourself with respect to the mat
ter. and in doing so to make it clear
beyond peradventure hat nothing ex-
cepting 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 NJ. GARRISON.
The President.
Mr.. Garrison's Second Letter.
The correspondence shows that a con-
versation between the President and the
Secretary followed this letter. for, Janu-
airy IA, Mr.. Garrison wrote:
January II, 1916.
My Dear Mr.. Pr .sident:
what you said today by way Of re-
Spouse to my letter of the 18th requires
to you.
you stated that Mr. Hay told you
that your proposal of federal volunteers
could not be procured, and that the same
end for which you were striving could be
procured by other means-by utilizing
the state troops as the basis of the policy
and making appropriations of pay to the
states conditioned on federal control of
the state troops.
you stated to him that you were not
interested in any particular program or
means OF accomplishing the purpose of
securing the men and would accept his
1s-I,o
Propositions Irreconcilable.
"Since the policy that was recon-
mended to you and adopted by yop dis
carded as absolutely impossible asAaili-
tary system based upon state troops,
and asserted that the only possible
basis for a military policy was ma
tional forces, it is entirely clear that
the proposals are Numerically opposed
to each other and are irreconcilable.
Those who are conscientiously con-
WINGED that nothing but national forces
can properly be the basis of a policy
of national defense cannot possibly
accept a policy based upon state forces
1t not only does not in itself offer an
acceptable solution, but acts to prevent
any proper solution.
IF those who are thus convinced are
faced with the necessity Of declaring
their position on the matter, they can
only show their sincerity of good faith
Of compromise with respect to this es-
sential, fundamental principle.
Il am thus convinced.
Challenged by Existing Situation.
Il feel that we are challenged by the
existing situation to declare ourselves
promptly. openly and unequivocally, or
be charged properly with lack of sim
certify and good faith.
I'VE cannot hope to see our pro-
gram, based on this essential principle
succeed IL We admit the possibility OF
compromises with respect to 1t.
yours is the ultimate responsible
ity; yours Is the final determination as
to the manner in which the situation
shall be faced and treated. 1 fully real
you the slightest embarrassment on
my account: II, therefore. my with
drawal from the situation would re-
lieve you. you should not hesitate for
a moment on that account.
"LISDLEY M. GARRISON"
President Wilson's Reply.
To that President Wilson replied:
January IT. 1916.
MY Dear Mr.. Secretary:
II am very much obliged to you for
your letters of January IL and Janu-
airy IA. They make your views with
regard to adequate measures of prepa-
ration for national defense sharply
clear. am sure that 1 already under
stood Just what your Views were, but
am glad to have them restated in this
succinct and striking way. You be-
lieve, as do. that the chief thing nee
essary Is that we should have a trained
citizen reserve. and that the training
organization and control of that re-
serve should be under immediate fed
eral direction.
But apparently have not succeed
ed in making my own position equally
clear to you, though I feel sure that
have made 1t perfectly clear to Mr.
Hay. 1t Is that I am not frrevocably
or dogmatically committed to any one
plan Of providing the nation with such
| q reserve, and am cordially willing to
discuss alternative proposals
ANY other position on my part would
indicate an attitude toward the COM
of Representatives which I should in
no circumstances feel at liberty to as
sumo; It would never be proper OF
Of the ber H me 10 say to any commit
hat so far as my participation in leg
| islation was concerned they would have
to take my plan or none.
Il do not share your opinion that
the members Of the House who are
| charged with the duty of dealing with
military. affairs are ignorant of them
or of the military necessities of the
nation. On the contrary. have found
them we'll informed and actuated by a
| most intelligent appreciation of the
grave responsibilities imposed upon
them. I am sure that Mr. Hay and his
! colleagues are ready to act with a full
sense of all that is involved in this
great matter both for the country and
for the national parties which they
| represent.
Regards His Duty as Plain.
my own duty toward them IL per-
fectly plain. I must welcome q frank
interchange Of views and a patient and
thorough comparison of all the
methods proposed for obtaining the
objects we all have in view. So far az
my own participation IN nnal legisla-
tive action 10 concerned. no one will