Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-05-05
Or
LAkREc<

He's a lawyer. That's all l know about him. Go
ahead boy, and tell them what you know" Baker
told them, and SO began the activities which led
to four terms solicitor and legal leader OF the
anttraction combine forces and two terms as
mayor.
asked Mr. Baker how the mayor OF Cleveiands
job compared with that OF the secretary OF war.
Il love personal relationships. One OF the
pleasantest things about being mayor Of city the
size of Cleveland is the great number of people
with whom 1t puts one into touch. At the war
department I find a large part of my duties ts
taken up with seeing people. am very glad that
is so. like to people constantly. or course"
he explained Il don't mean that focks of casual
visitors drop in to me here But the business
Of the department brings many people to me
daily"
had meant to ask him how the two positions
compared in size and difficulty He non
committal on that point, and suggested that at
least he did not seem appalled, by the size OF his
new task. even though the Mexican situation had
given him a baptism of fire for greeting. He
said:
II am not appalled,. No man can hope to escape
mistakes Mistakes inevitable. know shall
make some. But the only things one need be
really afraid OF insincerties and indirectness
Also, 1t is well to remember that unfamiliar tasks
have a 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 smilingy. "compels
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 names of many, from Stanton down to his
predecessor. Garrison.) Strictly military affairs
are not my province. Experts must care for those
things Legal misunderstanding the conflict
ing rights of state and federal governments the
navigability 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 It is my duty to
see that they are carried out conscientiously."
About preparedness" he felt Obliged to decline
to say a word. and reminded him of an interview
in which he was recently quoted saying that he
for peace at almost any price"
$50 am" he answered stoutly. because peace
seems to me the reasonable thing. l do not say
that war is always avoidable. II seems to come
sometimes as earthquakes come-a natural cata
clysm. The French revolution, think, was such
war. But war is always regrettable Peace 1.
what spells progress. We have to advance steI
by step. | do not think can hope to force ad
vancement by violence. And believe that some
times we shall have court of nations. and nc
more wars. Was 1t Lowell sad The telegraph
gave the world q nervous system?' AS our world
gets better coordinated by intercommunication
we shall have fewer of the Misunderstanding
which cause wars"
Constantly, we talked, alike in his domicie
and in his Office the new secretary's unpretentioui
pipe in his mouth. Constantly his knees
crooked and his feet curled up to comfortable posi-
tions radiator top and desk top. Though there
was always dignity about him, we might have been
two undergraduates chatting together His atti
tude was not suggestive of lounging of affected
carelessness. 1t was, thought. the bodily ease
which is apt 10 reflect outwardly the mental states
of self.unconsciousness and serene selfconfdence.
AS city solicitor of Cleveland, in the traction mat
ters he fought the mobilized legal big guns OF
Ohio to standstill. AS mayor he forced the peo.
pie to retain him until he had done what he set
out to do.
To be secretary of just now. to be lifted at
one step from local into national prominence at
critical moment like the present. is far more
searching lest Of his capacities than any he has
yet underE ne