Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1916-02-18

MAR SECRETARY DIFFERS WITH
PRESIDENT ON "coNTiNEN-
TAI ARMY" PLAN; QUITS.
Opposition to Philippine independence
Measure Also Ground for Action
Of Retiring offleer.-Assistsnt
Secretary Breckenridge
Also Quits.


Western Newspaper Union News Service.
waehington.--Secret Lindiey NJ.
Garrison resigned Thursday because
President Wilson would not "irrevoc-
ably support the Continental army
plan and because he opposes the ad.
illustrations program of Setting a
definite time TO- Philippine indie
pendence.
President Wilson accepted the res.
lgnation and has not selected a sue.
eessor. The President himself prob
ably win take personal charge Of the
administrations national defense
plans in Congress.
Assistant Secretary Breckenridge
also resigned as a mark OF loyalty to
his chief whose views he shared. The
President accepted his resignation.
Both take effect Immediately. Major
General Hugh L. Scott, chief of staff
Of the army, automatically becomes
secretary of war ad interim.
The resignation came as a distinct
surprise not only to Washington gen.
orally, but to members of the Cabinet.
One Cabinet officer said that while he
knew there was a difference Of opin'
ion between the President and Mr..
Garrison over handling the army
plans, he had not the slightest suspi.
cion that an actual break was impend.
ing. Although Mr.. Garrison first sug.
gested that he leave the Cabinet last
month, Mr.. Wilson did not formally
accept his resignation until late
Thursday afternoon, when informed
that Mr.. Garrison had left for New
York and that a rumor of his r~esigna-
ton were current. The President then
dictated the letter of acceptance and
dispatched it Immediately.
It was not until 8 o'clock Thursday
night that formal announcement of the
Garrison and Breckenridge resiSna
tions was at the White House.
1t is known that one of Secretary
GarGison's principal reasons for his
conviction that only a federal CONT
mental army, instead of . reorgan:zed
national guard, could be the main mil
itary dependence of the nation, was
his belief hat some day the United
States may be called upon 20 defend
the Monroe doctrine, and in thai
event he foresaw the national guard
might not be available for use outside
of the United States before a declara
ton of war.
Upon the contention on the one
hand that the continental army or ulti
mately universal service was the ma
tons only reliance, the position, or
the other, that no one plan could be
enforced upon Congress, President
Wilson and his secretary of war part
ed official company.
Mr. Garrison's resignation was 8
complete surprise to official Washing
ton generally. He made no persona.
explanation.
Several hours before the official an
nouncement he had boarded a trair
with his wife for New York, and word
had been passed at the department
that he had gone for an indefinite
stay.
The acute differences of opinion
which led to the break began early il
the year when opposition to the con
tinental army plan began developing
in Congress.
The circumstances which led up tt
the resignation are detailed in the sec
retary's correspondence with the Pres
ident, which was made public tonigh'
by the White House.