Evening star., 1921-05-08
JUST CREDIT AND TRIBUTE PAID
CIVILIANS IN HIGH WAR OFFICE
Story of Great Part Played by Hoover,
Garfield, Baruch, Mccormick and
Others in Aiding Victory.

! duce civilian consumption for mill
tary needs. I gave my approval Aft
err conference Mr.. Baker made the en-
| gagement for the three of us to see
! the President.
On our way to the White House I
! told Garfield that what we would
advise the President to do would
! raise the most violent storm of the
| war.
eco Ahead" Says Wilson.
| None of us had any illusions that
/ it would be popular The matter was
laid before the President. He met
! the drastic proposal without finchinG.
| In fact. he SraSped the necessity
! for it sooner than had either of us.
| and he told Garfield to go ahead.
| saying in substance: 1t is necessary.
absolutely necessary toward our
greatest effectiveness in the war.
! Nothing must stand between us and
! the goal" Garfield issued the or
, der. The storm broke. The news
: papers. or most of them. ragged the
! next morning. 'Mr. Garfields stupid
! ity' was displayed in big type. and
! editorially he was roasted over a hot
| coal fire.
| About midnight that night. just as
| l reached home. long distance" call
! ed me. The editor of a great news
! end of the telephone line. His paper
! had given the President earnest and
| able support in his war policies.
Have you seen Gartelds fool or
der about the use of coal?" he ask
, ed
Yes" l replied
What do you think of it," he
asked
1T is the worst order ever issued"
was my answer.
Il am glad" he chuckled over the
telephone, ito find cabinet officer
who agrees with me. We are going
to roast it in our paper tomorrow.
MAY | quote what you said"
''Certainly.' l replied. but you must
add that l accompanied Mr.. Garfield
to see the President when he pre-;
sented it for approval, and l joined
Mr.. Garfield in recommending the
policy to the President. l thought
then and think now that it is The
worst order ever issued. Only one
thing could have been worse"
What was that" answered my
now rather disgusted fellow editor
at the other end of the line.
Not to have issued it," | answered.
"Conditions are so desperate that
there is nc way to save the situation
but to carry out that order until the
situation improves.
Vance Mccormick Makes Good.
Vance Mccormick. head of the War
Trade Board, was beloved by all his
colleagues. President Wilson's re-
gard for him as man and his respect
for his abilities is such that he
twice offered Mr.. Mccormick a cabi-
net portfolio. Both times he de-
clined. Il serve" expresses his life,
without ambition for preferment or
honor His very soul was in the war.
His loyalty to the President was
based on kindred beliefs and aims.
In the war cabinet" in his special
duty. and in Paris h was one OF the
men who always made good. winning
the hearts Of his associates by MS
frankness and their confidence by his
sound judgment.
One of the most delicate duties to
be decided was what TO do with the
property of aliens. The President
of private property. but it was un-
derstood that their property must
not be left in the custody of enemies
of the country. 1t was therefore de-
cided to appoint an alien property
custodian. For that post the Presi-
erward Attorney General. known
later as the fighting Quaker In
1913 he had declined the portfolio OF
Secretary of War because of his
to the belief that war alone could
pave the way for permanent peace
and Justice. and he enlisted with all
his soul and ability.
His knowledge of the law made
him a valuable and influential MEM
Der of the Presidents clearing house
for war.
Copyright. 1921. by John r. Ollie. Copy
righ: by National Newspaper Service. Copy
right in Great Britain. Canada and throughout
France. All rights reserved. including trans
latiou into foreign languages including the
Scandinavian. Unauthorized reprinting for any
purpose forbidden.J
tAnOther article by Former Secre-
iuls h. fad In h.