Evening star., 1932-09-11
BY GEN. PEYTON c. MARCH,
U. S. A., Retired.

n EWTON D. BAKER is a little
man physically, but that is the
VI only small thing about him. AS
i Secretary of War he united a
remarkably alert mind with a
mastery Of the apt word. and a sense
of fairness and justice I have never
seen surpassed in any one.
When Secretary Baker returned from
his first visit to France April 16. 1918.
he found me chief of staff. had been
in charge more than month, and had
made many changes during his alb
sence.
The night he reached Washington
he went direct to the War Department,
and after an exchange Of greetings,
Assistant Secretary of War Frederick
Keppel said. to him: Mr. Secretary,
you will have to demonstrate with Gen.
March. He is working too hard"
The rather tired face of the Secre-
tary lighted up and he grinned happily.
Thas was precisely whac he h2d been
after. He found the War Department
ablaze with light and buzzing like a
beehive. Every one was at work.
We left the others and entered his
office, and the first thing he said to
me was: General, suppose you re-
ceived your orders to return to the
chief Of staff with rather mixed emo
ton" I replied: mo, Mr.. Secretary
1t made me sick at the stomach" and
that matter was never referred to again
in all our long service together.
Questioned Tobacco Order.
The Secretary found what I had been
doing during his absence, and early
brought up for comment one decision
I had made about a minor matter.
I had become convinced in France
that the use Of tobacco by the troops
there needed regulating. Tobacco was
obtainable by the soldiers only by buy
ing it, and many tired men were de-
prived of this solace because they had
no money while more fortunate COM
rades with means of their own were
getting all the tobacco. When got
around to it I directed that an order
be issued making tobacco a part OF the
ration. s~t1 = -.sa1a
Secretary Baker said to me: General,
I notice YOU have made tobacco a part
of the ration Did you know I had
considered that matter, and personally
directed that tobacco should not be
issued?" I gave him my reasons for
the order, and he then said quietly:
Perhaps you are right"
This little incident, at the outset OF
our service together, showed me two
things. The first was that was deal
ing with a big man. A smaller man
might have been annoyed at my
countermanding his personal order and
it might have been the starting point
Of friction between us. The second
thing it showed was the distance the
War Department had progressed along
the lines had marked out.
.l.. March Cuts Red Tape.
When I became chief of staff well
meaning and jealous officers told me I
couldn't do this or that because OF
some decision or regulation against IT,
I let 1t be known I would not nave
any such officers around me. My posi-
ton was that under the war power OF
the President, I could do anything
necessary to carry out the military pro-
gram, and invariably acted on that
assumption.
In the case Of the tobacco ration the
officer to whom gave the order didn't
tell me I could not do 1t because the
Secretary had decided otherwise. He
went out and did 1t on the run. and
passed on to other work. He knew
would assume all responsibility for my
action.
Early in my changes OF officers at
, the heads of bureaus Of the War De-
partment the Secretary and locked
| horns over one of my appointments.
! had selected Brig. Gen. C. c. Williams
who was Gen. Pershing's chief ordnance
officer in France, for chief of ordnance
of the Army. which post carried with 1t
/ his advancement to major general.
Differ on Appointments:
I had talked over the reorganization
| of the Ordnance Department with
Edward Stettinius, Assistant Secretary
of War in charge of munitions, and had
given him my opinion that change In
| the chief Of ordnance was necessary
and that Williams was the man for the
| job. Gen. Williams had been largely
| instrumental in obtaining our artillery
| for us in France, and knew at first
hand what the problems Of the A. E. F.
were as regards ordnance. April 3
| cabled Gen. Pershing as follows
| Send Brig. Gen. c. c. Williams,
Ordnance Department, to United States
| by first available transport. 1t is in
tended to replace him at your head
| quarters by Brig. Gen. Charles B.
Wheeler. In case you prefer any other
officer in Ordnance Department advise
promptly. MARCH"
When Secretary Baker returned to
the United States he informed me that
| Ills CIlOlCc lOI Olo1ldilSC SIAACA "do tAAS
acting chief, Brig. Gen. c. B. Wheeler
and that 1t would take a lot OF con-
! vincing to make him change his mind
I then and there enunciated the
principle which governed us thereafter
in all such matters. 1 said: Mr.. Secre-
tary, I make all my recommendations
for the best interests Of the service, and
am prepared in every case to defend
them from the housetops, il necessary
II I cannot convince you that I am
right, I must be wrong"
Gen. Williams was appointed and
completely justified his selection.
| Coe Case Also Cited.
This case was followed by a similar
one, the appointment Of Gen. Coe as
| chief of Coast Artillery. Gen. Coe was
serving with the Heavy Artillery ir
France and was the best man in his
arm for the new appointment. The
Secretary had practically promised my
predecessor, Gen. Biddle, that he woulc
appoint Brig Gen. Barrette chief oi
Coast Artillery, but upon reconsider
alton he accepted Gen. Coo.
After the Secretary became acquaint-
ed with the type Of officers I was bring.
ing into the War Department, and thu
immediate effect the introduction o
these active. able and forceful men hae
. upon the efficiency and success OF ths
| great military machine was building
up. all discussion died away, and a.
the end he accepted my recommends
tions concerning personnel wthou
! question.
In deetsions ON polic1es k ths Wa