Evening star., 1916-04-30
wv THEN President Wilson was
NJ making up his original Cabinet,
" the post that gave him the
greatest trouble WAS the Sec

retaryship of War. Up to few days pre-
ceding the Inauguration he had not de-
cided upon his man; but, in moment of
inspiration, his secretary, MIR. Tumulty,
suggested Judge Garrison of New Jersey.
The President had never met this dis
tinguished jurist; he had never even
thought of his name in connection with
Cabinet post. But Mr.. Garrison prompt
ly received letter inviting him into the
Cabinet. He entered. soon acquired
we'll deserved reputation as one of the
. two strongest men in it, and left, few
months ago, in unceremonious and dra-
matte fashion.
In selecting Mr.. Garrison's successor
the President has followed different
method. He has made personal choice.
Although Newton d. Baker is the youngest
and newest Cabinet member, Mr.. Wilson
has known him personally longer than any
of the others. For his new Secretary of War
he has not gone to the old familiar test of
political availables. He has called before
his minds eye familiar group of in
structors and students who used to sit
around celebrated boarding-house table
in Baltimore twenty-five years ago. when
Mr.. Wilson was lecturing at Johns Hop
kins on political administration.
The group was famous one, composed
of many of the brightest wits at the uni
versity; the table talk covered wide
field of literature, politics, human prog
ress, and social reform. One of its most
entertaining members was short, slight,
boyish figure from Martinsburg, West
Virginia. young man, then not twenty
years old. with an amazing flow of Ian
guage and ideas, wealth of information,
and a large acquaintance with literature.
=" Mr.. Wilson, then in his early thirties,
loved to talk with his youthful pupil.
The boys enthusiasms were all intel
lectual. AS a STRIPPING in Martinsburg.
he was regarded as the village bookworm.
By the time he reached Johns Hopkins,
Baker had already fairly developed those
gifts of public speaking which have since
enthralled so many audiences.
Baker Is Mr.. Wilson's Kind of Man
MR.. WILSON, loving, above all, liter
A'A ary grace and mental dexterity, made
Newton Baker an intellectual companion.
For two years master and pupil met al
most every day. In making Mr.. Baker his
Secretary of War, therefore, President Will
son is not leaping into the dark. "His
mind works like chain-lightning, Mr..
Wilson has remarked of his early disciple.
Irrespective of his ideas on war or ma
tional policy, Mr.. Baker represents the
kind of person whom Mr.. Wilson-who
hates fools with deadly hatred-likes
to have around him.
The President first formed Mr.. Bakers
acquaintance at Baltimore; and it was at
Baltimore, and on an historic occasion.
that the old teacher and student came to-
gether twenty years later, in 1912. A
miscellaneous crowd had gathered to
nominate Democratic candidate for the
Presidency, and Woodrow Wilson's name
filled many minds as the logical man for
that distinction. But considerable con-
tingent from Ohio was sounding the
praises of Judson Harmon. A smaller Ohio
delegation was active on Wilson's behalf.
Ohio had held primaries for dele
gates. giving Harmon twenty-eight votes
and Wilson twenty-one. The antique