Evening star., 1937-02-07

ELIHU ROOT.
been forced to wear heavy Woolen uni
forms IN tropical Cuba and fight with
black powder ammunition whose
smoke revealed their positions clearly
to Spanish forces using the smokeless
variety.
Army Staff System.
Secretary Root reorganized the staff
system and laid sound groundwork
of Army administration that withstood
acid tests years later when submitted
to the crucible of the World War.
To his administration also was con-
fided the beginnings of the Panama
Canal, and when the Constitution
followed the flag into the Philippines
he had to draw up regulations for
colonial administration, something
which was new to American expert
ence. The Army also administered
affairs in Cuba during the infancy OF
that republic and suppressed with TO-
900 men the Philippine insurrection.
That his work was good is written
in the promptness with which he was
called back to Washington to be-
come Secretary of State under Roose-
velt, against his own desire to go on
with the practice Of law in New
York.
Again it was his lot to reorganize
a great governmental agency, and ne
rebuilt the consular and diplomatic
services. Through them he worked
more than rs treaties.
One Of his achievements in this
term was combating the feeling OF
distrust which had been engendered
in Latin America by the Panama.
Puerto Rico and Cuba developments.
Governments and peoples in Central
and South America saw threats to
their independence in the southwark
expansion of United States influences
and Secretary Root made long tour
in which, by personal touch, he laid
foundations for Pan-American UNDER
standing and solidarity.
On the other side of the world fret
full circumstances in the Pacific and
the Japanese immigration problem
called fer the exercise of his genius
for diplomacy. The Root-Takahira
pact. famed as the gentlemen's
agreement" emerged to keep peace in
the Pacific.
He went from the cabinet to the
Senate. to stand squarely as a cham
pion of party regularity in the hectic
days of the Bull Moose movement.
WELDING the gavel over the Re-
publican National Convention at Chi
cago. he held the party unwaveringly
to a course that meant defeat in the
three-cornered battle Of 1912.
At the end Of his Senate term
Mr.. Root again sought retirement.
But with the World War came a new
duty, this time under a Democratic
administration, when President Wilson
made him head of a special diplomatic
mission to the ephemeral Kerensky
regime in Russia.
After the war Mr.. Root was con-
cerned in the fight for American
membership in the League of Ma
tlons, trying his best to persuade the
die hardS" in the Senate to accept
compromises which he was sure
would safeguard this country from
entangling European. alliances. In
1921 President Harding named him
as one of the American delegates to
the Washington Arms Conference.
There he led the fight against use Of
poison gases and the right of sub
marines to attack merchant vessels
without warning.
He engaged in the legal fight
against the Volstead act, arguing,
albeit unsuccessfully, in the Supreme
Court against the constitutionality of
that law. He maintained that Con-
gresS had not the right, under the
eighteenth amendment, to limit the
alcoholic content of beverages to one
half of l per cent.
Native of New York.
Elihu Root was born in Clinton,
Oneida County, N. Y, February IS,
1845. He was graduated in 1864 from
Hamilton College, where his father,
Oren Root, was for many years a
professor of mathematics.
After leaving college, Mr.. Root
taught school for a year at Rome
Academy. He went to the University
of the City of New York the follow
ing year to study law and became a
graduate of the law school in 1867,
and was promptly admitted to the
bar. Mr.. Roots first public Office of
importance was United States attor-
ney for the southern district of New
York, to which he was appointed by
President Arthur in 1888. He served
until 1885. He was delegate to the
State Constitutional Convention in
1894. and chairman of the Judiciary
Committee of that convention.
On January 8. 1878, he married
Clara Wales of New York. To them
were born daughter, Edith, who
became the wife Of U. S. Grant, Sd.
and two sons, Elihu, jr., and Edward
Wales. Mrs. Root died in June, 1928,
five months after she and Mr.. Root |