The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-06-02
BAKER, THE DARK HORSE
Is Not Candidate, But Might
 Break Convention Deadlock

He does not care for bridge, seldom attends a theater, infrequently goes to concert, although he is lover of music.
 To-day, as when he first went to Washington. his hobby is flower gardening. O Id d-timers recall that when he took over the job in 1916 as head of the nations mailed fist he was twitted for confessing his love for flowers, nicknamed "Pansy" Baker because he had a big jar of fresh pansies on his desk.
 To-day. he grows flowers in a beautiful garden at his home in Shaker Heights, fashionable Cleve- land suburb. A golf course adjoins and golfers often knock balls into the garden where Baker is toiling amid his fragrant blossoms.
 4tt
 Newton Diehl Baker was born at Martinsburg, w. Va, on DeceTn- Der 3, 1871, the son of a country doctor of'the same name who, had fought in the Civil war as a Con- federate cavalryman under Gen. 'eral "Jeb" Stuart. His father loved literature and inspired the boy similarly.
 When young Baker entered Johns Hopkins. where he received his A. B. degree in 1892, he con- sidered medicine as a career. How ever. he decided to become a law yer after attending lectures given by Woodrow Wilson. He studied law at Washington and Lee uni- versity. being graduated in 1894.
 Baker returned to Martinsburg and opened law office. After a year in which he had scarcely a single client, the young barrister decided he'd better quit and get q job. From Washington came an offer to be private secretary to Postmaster General William Will son, a fellow West Virginian, and Baker accepted. After a year, he had saved enough money to make trip to Europe.
 On the ship returning from abroad, Martin l.. Foran, a C1eve- land politician, and a fellow pas- senger were having a hot argu- ment on Irish home rule. Baker joined the argument, helped Foran win it. He so impressed Foran with his ability that Foran invited him to movet to Cleveland and join his law firm. '
 Baker passed into politics under the wing of Mayor Tom Johnson, served three terms as city solicitor and succeeded Johnson as mayor. being elected first in 1911 and again in 1913.
 At the Baltimore convention in 1912 Baker led successful fight to release the Ohio delegation from the unit rule that bound it to Judson Harmon and thereby won IS votes for Wilson. The latter never forgot. As president-elect in 1913 he offered Baker a cabinet post as secretary of interior, but Baker declined. When Secretary of War Garrison retired in March, 1916, Wilson offered Baker this jom and Baker accepted.
 Baker had no military training or experience-he told Wilson that he had not even played with lead soldiers when a boy. Wilson, how ever, wanted an executive-not q soldier-and Baker fitted the bill. On the very day Baker took of- flee, Villa and his Mexican bandits raided Columbus, N. M. Pershing's s expedition into Mexico and the concentration of 100000 American troops on the Mexican border fol- lowed.
 Europe was in flames and it was the United States. Baker, who loved flowers, was a pacifist-but, as, he told reporters. "I love peace So we'll that I am willing to fight for it." He began laying plans for war that he knew was sure to come.
 On March 4, 1917, congress ad- journed without passing, either the deficiency bill or the army appro- priation bill. Though war was de- clared on April 6, billions needed for the army were not authorized until June IS and the money did not become available until July l. Thus for a month before the war and for two months thereafter the war department was without funds.
 But Baker went boldly ahead. In April contracts were let for 13 off, cers' training camps and in May for 32 cantonments, a matter of $500, 100000.
 q assume full responsibility, 1 Baker told assistants when they warned him that he was violating the law by spending money before /. it was available.
 He also fathered the selective service act, as opposed to the vol unteer system on the one hand and downright conscription on the other.
 | Baker chose Pershing. whom he had never met face to face, as commander in chief of the A. F.. F.. He sent him to France with only two orders. Thefi rst was "Go there"; and the second, Return" i Lessons of the Union army in the Civil war had taught Baker that too much civilian interference with the military was dangerous.
 The allies had expected not more than 500,000 American troops in France by the fall of 1918. Baker had 100000 there and several i, millions more under arms in this country. Frederick Palmer. in his ' kIS,