The Washington herald., 1917-03-31
AERO OFFICIALS
, WOULD REMOVE
3 CABINET men
Henry Wise Wood Demands
Resignation of Lansing,
Baker and Daniels.
GERARD HEARS OUTBURST
Former Envoy. Deeply Embarrassed.
Enters Vigorous Defense of
Administration.

(By the international News Seryiee)
New York. March so.-Henry A. Wise
Wood attacked the administration to-
night IN q speech at the eleventh annual
banquet of the Aero Club of America
About half Of the 500 guests cheered
wildly and about half remained silent
when he advocated:
L The removal of Josephus Daniels as
Secretary of the Navy and the appoint
ment OF Rear Admiral F1ske.
2 The removal of Newton D. Baker as
Secretary OF War and the appointment OF
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood.
3. The removal of Robert Lansing as
Secretary of State and the appointment
of Elihu Root
Ambassador Gerard. who sat beside Mr..
Wood, plainly was embarrassed during
the speech He hitched about nervously
in his chair and as the speaker said the
government reminded him of "a huge os-
trich farm" and in a veiled criticism of
the President exclaimed:
Mr.. Gerard. your distinguished Am
bassadOr at Berlin, has said that in his
opinion, our President will prove to be
a great war President. / pray to God
that this may be So
Gerard Replies.
Mr.. Gerard was the next speaker. He
defended the administration. His defense
elected the same amount of applause as
had Mr.. Woods attack. Referring to
Mr.. Woods quotation from him he said:
Just as / believe the President has
been superbly at work for peace, SO do
believe that he will be superbly effective
in war.
Il nave not been in the country long
enough" he continued. ito present a de-
To-
Daniels. But 1 believe that the first ne
'essity in preparing for war is a cool
hrad. and 1 am certain that statistics
Mil show that the administration of Sec
rotary Daniels has been a success.
As for Secretary Baker. he has oc-
cupied several public positions, the ad-
rninistration OF which has been signalized
by distinguished ability.
Don't let us be hysterical and cry
when going into war that We have been
betrayed before anything has hap
2ened. Your American love OF fair play
will lead you not to condemn a man be-
fore he has had a fair chance"
Each time that universal military pre-
pRredness was referred to by speakers
the applause was unanimous and
sutained.
Rear Admiral Peary said:
We must have Immediately a separate
undivided control of the upbuilding of
our air service. We must have at the
head OF this department some big ex-
ecutive who has imagination. Then give
him not less than 800. 10000 a year.
Where are We to find a man for the
place? / can name two right now, II
either VIII acceptsColonel Roosevelt and
General Goethals.
MajOr-General Leonard Wood entered
the banquet hall while Stephane Lau-
same. editor OF the Paris Matin was
speaking. General Wood was given an
ovation.
After making a plea for universal mil
itary preparedness and training General
Wood said:
Have We got anything to fight for? If
we have are we going to fight for It?
Have We got the Intelligence to prepare
and fit ourselves to meet an efficient
and well-prepared foe? You have got to
hear your burden and you can only bear
it by being prepared to make the su-
preme sacrifice If need be. This implies
a thorough moral organization behind
the physical one."