Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-09

"Belated recognition of q great serv-
ice," says the Portland, Greg. Journal,
thus summing up view expressed by
many newspapers of the Distinguished
Service Medal award to Newton D.
Baker, 10 years after the World War.
ITO this peace-loving man." the New
York Times records, fell the immense
labor OF training the troops and getting
them to the home environments and to
France. He riSked his own life in the
trenches. but did 1t so quietly that the
fact was hardly known at home. He
supported Gen. Pershing as he himself
was supported by the President. and
that was to the utmost. Con-
temporary opinion has assigned him a
high position as q public servant"
HE selected Pershing to command
the American Expeditionary Forces,
and President Wilson agreed the gen.
eral should have free hand and that
all his requests were to be honored."
the Norfolk Ledger Dispatch recalls. ut
was the first time the country had gone
to war with communicative chief in
the field clothed with supreme power
and the results proved the policy to be
sound"
1T was q great task we'll done. and
done. too" In the opinion of the Scran-
ton Times. without any scandal or
attempt by Mr.. Baker to win the
plaudits of his countrymen. OF course,
his work did not escape criticism en-
tirely, but much of 1t was based in the
first place upon his reputation as n
man Of peace. and. recalling what hap
pened and how he performed his task.
We can see now that criticisms were
entirely uncalled for. When Mr.
Bakers task is compared with the
handling of our armed forces during
the Spanish-American War, the ter
rible scandal which grew out of that
war, the American people can thank
God that President Wilson In his judg-
ment did select for Secretary of War
Newton D. Baker"
"Beiated recognition of a great serv-
ice," is applauded by the Portland,
Greg, Journal, with the comment:
Whatever may be said of the War
Secretary. he recruited, organized and
put into service one of the most formiz
dable armies in the history of the
world. . What is more, the name
of Mr.. Baker does not rest alone on his
war service. There was personal char
acter In public and in private, and
bIlcIc WeTe luchlS dIlU accompaniment
in civil life that In peace made certain
Mr.. Baker took with him into the war
Office"
Recalling q speech once made In
Iowa by Secretary Baker, the Des
Molnes Register quotes him as having
said that he had not only been Secre-
tary Of War, but Secretary of war"
and that paper adds: "He might have
said, considering the magnitude of his
task that he was Secretary of the war.
Probably no single civilian in all mill
tary history has had the problem Mr..
Baker solved successfully of training
4,00o, 900 men and transporting 100000
of them thousands OF miles across an
ocean to fight triumphantly. And it is
because of his skill at that job that he
is now recognized as one OF our ablest
public men,"
Newton D. Baker came into the
observes the Canton Daily News. "As
mayor of Cleveland he had made q
good record, but he had no experience
in national affairs. Neither President
Wilson nor any one else foresaw the
war. or man of larger experience
might have been selected. But Newton
D. Baker proved to be the man for that
great crisis, and the farther we get
from the war the larger his achieve
nnent looms. ETe created and organized
one Of the great armies OF history. He
sper,t billions Of dollars and no hint OF
scandal came out of his administration.
He was always held In high regard by
woodrow wilson, and was one OF the
sancst leaders throughout that trying
period. He remained calm when many
others were losing their heads. The
entire country. regardless of politict'
Affiliations, will approve the awarding
Of the Distinguished Service Medal to
Newton D. Baker"
n 4 4
without his ability for organization,
without his tireless energy, without his
deep insight, without his patriotism and