Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-16
By JosEPHUS DANIELS,
Former Secretary of the Navy.

BY JOSEPHUS DANIELS,
Former Secretary of the Navy.
ARTICLE. 80.
The war was too big to permit any
man to become its overshadowing
figure. On the other hand, its big
ness swept men, hitherto but little
known to the multitude of their fel-
lows, into places of prominence and
tremendous responsibility.
Men were caught up out Of private
life, from commercial, industrial and
professional vocations, and practical
ly conscripted by national need for
public service.
Some of these men, holding offices
which had sought them out and con-
strained them to assume their
burdens, presently found themselves
the objects of criticism and abuse
on the part of factions Of the Deo-
pie and the press. 1t was ungener-
Gus to men who were giving tEem-
selves with an utter devotion to
their country; but they took it brave
" and patiently in good humor, and
went on with their jobs. content to
let events vindicate them, as events
did.
The men in charge of the most i'm
4 .portant special activities Of the war trade
Ind war industries boards. the shipping
&poard. the food and fuel administrations,
I'd alien property custodian formed,
. the Secretaries Of War, Navy and
asury a sort OF special council, which
met frequently with the President and
which was, though improperly, called by
many newspapers the war cabinet. An
indefatigable member Of it was William
G. McAdoo. who, as Secretary Of the
Treasury. struck the rock ofo credit and
revenue and made abundant money gush
forth to meet the needs Of our own
mobilization and OF the operations OF our
allies.
PRAISE FOR MAD0o
AND BAKER.
His record viii for all time make him
a figure ranking second ts not one Of
1 the geeat men who preceded him in that
great office. Hamilton and Gallatin and
all the famous Secretaries of the Treas
ury solved important financial problems,
but, in the magnitude Of tAe task. not
one Of them had such world financing
TO carry out as Hr. McAdoo accomplished
so brilliantly.
But no oman in that war council will
grow so much IN the perspective Of his
tory as Newton D. Baker, Secretary Of
War I was in intimate daily association
with him. / knew his large grasp Of
the problems with which we had TO deal
sl( his whole-hearted devotion to duty.
N could appreciate his broad vision and
4 his scrupulous sense Of justice.
His task was far greater than that Of
Stanton, but he showed no less ability
B than Stanton in discharging il, and with
Y the great ability went a charity kind
4 ness and courtesy which won him the
esteem and confidence Of all his col
leagues.
Ny most happy recollection Of those
crucial days is my intimate association
with Newton D. Baker He does not
know what playing to the gallery. self
4 seeking or pretense are. He shouldered
every so-ealled error Of others in the
field and department, and, with q gen
s erOus spirit, gave support to those who
were intrusted with important duties.
want, in the remainder of this article
to write of those men, referred to in my
81 first paragraph, whom the war picked
4 up and put in posts of burdensome OBJ
4 Tigaton-at least to write of such Of them
as became with US members of the war
cabinet"
BARNEY" BARUCH
81 LEADING FIGURE.
The story of the war industries board
q has been told, happily, so that the man
n who Will write the real history Of the
war Che may not yet have put his pen
to paper can grasp the magnitude of
the mobilization Of industries under the
q able direction Of its head Bernard NJ
q Raruch. He had made his fortune IN
s. Wall street, buying stocks when they
were low and selling them when they
8 were high-the secret of success in that
center Of making and losing fortunes in
a day.
Il There was some distrust in Washing
s ton Of the Idea Of putting "a Wall street
A speculator" in charge Of this giant job
y when the president first asked Mr.
ABaruch to undertake the direction OF the
81 industries board. But as. his grasp
|9aEH~Ereatness, his industry and patience
n his forgetfulness of his own interests
S were merged into his passion for public
g service, the feeling OF doubt gave way
& 70 one OF admiration, confidence and re-
spect As a result Barney" Baruch
't emerged from the war as one Of its lead
q ing figures, and he added to his reputa-
a ton by the wisdom he displayed at the
peace conference.
II When 1 was IN Paris, he and Vance
- ~McCormick were troubled because they
1could not bring their financial associates
.4of the allied nations to see that pros
perity and stability could not come to
4the world until the amount Germany was
90 pay was definitely fixed. The chaos
5 and distress which followed the failure
20 adopt tie policy proposed by Mr..
p Paruth testify TO his wise foresight.
{s]H0oVER. WORLDS
t#ALAIONER.
Food VIII win the war" was a sound
slogan which Herbert Hoover. head Of
he food administration, carried into
Continued on Page Three.)
WEATHER