The Washington times., 1919-01-13
GREGORY RESIGNS,
PAYIS IOOL0W

The. insufficient salaries paid to
Cabinet officers has resulted in an
other resignation-that OF Attorney
! General. Gregory. ~
Following SO closely upon the re-
tirement OF Secretary McAdoo, who
assigned pecuniary responsibilities as
the cause, Mr.. Gregory occasioned
considerable stir here by announcing
that he will leave the Cabinet March
4, with President Wilson's concur
renee.
The two departures announced
within q few weeks of each other
served to create more or less of a de-
mand that something be done to raise
the salary Of Cabinet posts. =.
| Twelve Thousand dollars year, with
1 a Cabinet members social responsible
ties, generally is admitted here to be
too little.
Successor Not Known.
Mr.. Gregory's successor is not
known. Assistant Attorney General
Graham is mentioned. So, too. Is Sem
ator James Hamilton. Lewis, who will
soon be "lame duck" Another sug-
gestion is Counselor Polk, Of the State
Department
The old story that Secretary Of War
Baker would be shifted to the Attor-
ney Generalship was revived, but
| those closest to the war chief said
that IL he changed at all it would be
to private life. .,-
! In resigning' to President Wilson.
Mr.. Gregory pointed out that the COM
plicated war duties of. the Depart
ment Of Justice probably would be
cleaned up. by March 4. President
Wilson spoke in high praise of the
retiring member Of his Cabinet in "re-
luctantly" allowing him to quit.
| The resignation Of Mr. Gregory
| from the. Cabinet is the fifth which
\ President Wilson has accepted. The
| others were Secretary OF War Gar
rison and Attorney General Mercy
nolds, Secretary OF State Bryan and
Secretary McAdoo.r .r.,. .
Mr.. Gregory's letter reads:
| ~"In accordance with the purpose
expressed in our conversation just be.
fore you went abroad. I tender my
| resignation as Attorney General
-'It has been not quite six years
since I became connected with your
Administration, and more than four
years ago. q few days after war was
declared by the European nations,
became q member of the Cabinet 1t
can be fairly said that during no
other six years in the history OF our
country have so many problems been
presented and solved. The reflection
that at such time I have been per-
mitted to stand by your side and as
sist in a modest way in dealing with
these national and international is
} sues Is now, and will always be, ny
greatest source Of pride.
mo man ever served a leader who
was more uniformly considerate, more
kindly helpful and more generously
appreciative. No subordinate was
ever more. deeply grateful for the
numberless friendly words and acts
Of his superior.
"Pecuniary responsibilities of q
substantial nature rest upon me and
. my private affairs have long demand
ed attention. During the continu-
ance of actual warfare I did not feel
at liberty to weigh these personal
consid erations in the balance against
the public duties with which was
charged. BY March 4 of the present
year the Department of Justice will
have substantially brought its war
activities to a close and be working
under normal conditions. I therefore
ask that this resignation take effect
on that date"
|, Presidents Reply.
The reply Of President Wilson,
written in Paris, under date of jan
uary 10, is as follows:
at is with profound reluctance and
regret that I accept your resignation.
do SO only because you have con-
vinced me that 1t is necessary in your
own interest for you to retire. There
has been no one with whom I have
been associated in Washington whom
| 20
whose counsels have attached more
value and importance. Your admin
istration of your office has been
| singularly able and singularly
conscientious and watchful OF
the public interest, and I feel tina;
it Is a very serious loss indeed to
the nation that you should find your
self obliged to withdraw from public
life.
my best wishes not only. but my
affectionate friendship will follow
you into retirement, and l hope with
all my heart that in some way and
at some time shall again have the
privilege and benefit OF being associ.
ated with you"
Native OF MississipFi.
Mr.. Gregory was born in Crawford
willie, Miss, November 6. 1851 After
attending the southwestern PreSoytert-
an University at Clarksville. Tenn,
and the University OF Virginia. he was
graduated from the University OF
Texas law department in 1885 and took
UP his residence In Austin. Tex, where
he was regent Of the University of
Texas for eight years.
He was twice q delegate to Demo
cratic national conventions. His firm
became famous In the prosecutions for
the State of Texas Of the Waters
Pierce Oil Company, a part OF the
standard OIL Company. He was ap-
pointed special assistant to the At
torney General, May %, 1918. in the
investigation Of the affairs OF the
New York. New Haven and Hartford
( Railroad Company and was made At
torney General the following year when
Attorney General McReynolds resigned
to accept appointment to the Supreme
Court