New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-23
Officers of WOmen's
Patriotic Societies
Act
CALL HIM UNFIT
TO HEAD ARMY
Ask Wilson to Repudiate
Attack on Washing
tons Soldiers
[Frorn the Tribune Bureaul


Washington, Oct. 22.-National Off
GERS Of eleven patriotic women's or
CARNATIONS signed a resolution to-day
demanding the resignation of Secre-
tary of War Baker, and the repudia-
tion by President Wilson Of Mr..
Bakers comparison of Mexican ban
dts with Washington's Continentals
printed exclusively in The Tribune
Mr.. Baker is declared by the resolu-
ton TO be "a man of such amazing
ignorance Of history and so lacking
in ideals" that he is mot fit head
for the army of the United States of
America, and would tend seriously to
injure its morale"
The demand that President Wilson
repudiate his Cabinet minister's words
results from the fact that Mr. Baker
made the comparison which is so OBJ
noxious TO the women in a speech up
holding the Presidents Mexican pol
icy.
Bakers Speech Quoted
Following is the resolution:
"Whereas, Newton d. Baker. Secre-
tary of War in the Cabinet of Presi-
dent Wilson, in making a political
speech in defence of the Mexican pol
icy of the Administration, at Jersey
City, on the night of October l6, 1916,
made the following comparison be-
tween the Megican bandits supporting
the various leaders in that country
and the soldiers who fought the war
for American independence in 1776 as
follows:
"'Some people say they cannot un-
derstand the Presidents Mexican pol
icy, and l want to tell you why. They
have forgotten our own history and
the Declaration Of Independence. and
the President has not forgotten either.
Why are we impatient at the Mexi-
cans7 We say they do not respect the
lives and property OF our people. Per-
haps they don't. We say they do not
pay their honest debts. They don't.
We say they are a ragamufin lot. We
say their money is not any good
That's true. 1t is only worth two or
three cents on the dollar. We say
they do not respect church property.
That, also, is true.
"Were So Like Mexico
"'The amazing thing is that people
never respect these things in revo-
luton. We had a revolution. and
from the beginning TO the end Of that
the conditions in this country were so
like Mexico that it is perfectly
astounding to read.
"'Washington's soldiers in the march
to Valley Forge stole everything hey
could Law their hands on. They stole
the silver vessels from the churches
and melted them up to buy things to
drink. They drove ministers OF the
Gospel and preachers of churches out
OF their churches and out Of the coun'
try. The money of the so-called Con
federation was so worthless that wher
they tried to make the merchants take
il the latter hid their provisions IN
their cellars.
"'The President Of the United States
Is in favor of letting the 100000 peo'
ple in Mexico, who have not had an op-
portunity to do so, fight out their inde'
pendence the way we fought ours
Whenever you hear anybody say they
cannot understand the Presidents Mex
ican policy, tell them TO go and reac
the Declaration of independence anc
the Golden Rule
"And whereas, the above is steno-
graphic transcript of Mr.. Bakers re-
marks. and there can be no reasonaolc
doubt as TO the intention 20 charac-
terize the patriots who followed WASH
ington from Bunker Hill to yorktown
as thieves, church looters and dlsrepu-
table characters generally; be 1t
Demand His Resignation
"Re.olved, That we, the officers OF
natriotic societies of women, with head
quarters In the District OF Columbia
DO hereby demand the immediate resig
nation of Newton d. Baker as Secre-
tary OF War, on the ground that mar
OF such amazing ignorance OF historS
and so lacking in ideals is not ht mead
for the army OF the United states oil
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