Evening star., 1937-12-26
NEWTON D. BAKER,
GREAT WARF|GURE,
DIES IN CLEVELAND
Death Comes Quietly as
Family, Assembled for Ho|i-
days, Is at Bedside.
Modified GREATEST
ARMY IN u. S. HISTORY
Spent Last Years in Effort for
Peace and the Relief of
Human Suffering.
BY the Associated Press.

Human Suffering.
BY the Associated Press.
CLEVELAND. Dec 25.-NeWton D.
Baker. who as Secretary of War mo-
bilized the greatest Army in the his
tory of his country, died today after
Q heart attack
The short, eloquent statesman who
served in the World War cabinet OF
President Wilson had been confined
to his bed since shortly after his 66th
birthday December 3. He was first
stricken several months ago in Syra-
cuse, N. Y.
He recovered from this attack and
resumed some of his law practice here
AS counsel for number of utilities
he recently appeared in court at
Chattanooga. Tenn, in a suit involv-
ing the utilities and the Tennessee
Valley Authority.
In the later years of his life he had
Withdrawn gradually from the multi
plicity of interests which he cultivated
after leaving public service. living
quietly at his home here and visiting
his law Offices frequently.
Left Central Committee.
Last year he resigned as chairman
Of the Cuyahoga County (Cleveland)
Democratic Central Committee, a
position he had held for 26 years. He
said then: Its up to us older men to
give the young fellows their chance. u
Although reluctant in late years to
express himself on political questions
he studied interna tional affairs closely
A little more than a year ago. he said
the world is in the most unsafe
situation I have ever seen it."
Outside my profession" Baker said
my two major interests are interna
tlonal affairs from the point of vie y
OF helping to build up in the world
effective. constructive agencies f.. the
preservation of world peace, ard, Sec
ond, the extension of educa' .onal op-
portunity and the adaptat on of edu-
cation to the present cr.Idition of the
world so that der 1,racy can have a
chance to act with intelligence"
Members Of Family Present.
Baker Is survived by his widow; one
Son, Newton D. Baker, Sd; two daugh-
ters. Mrs. Margaret Wright of St.
Louis and Mrs. Elizabeth McGean of
Cleveland and five grandchildren.
Members of the family had gathered
at the Baker home for a quiet Christ
mas. The former War Secretary's son.
Mrs. Baker, Mrs. McGean, a physician
and nurse were with him when he
died.
Members of the family said he was
cheerful to the last" and felt well
enough to join in some of the Christ
ms festivities. He conferred for a
while early in the day with his law
partner, Joseph c. Hostetler.
DR.. Roy Scott, one of his physicians,
said Baker had suffered from heart
trouble for several years. Death was
caused, he said, by coronary throm-
bosis.
Members of the family said he made
his last visit to his law Office Decem-
Der 3, his birthday.
Gained Fame In War.
To the lot of Newton Diehl Baker,
lawyer and fighting pacifist, fell the
task OF conducting the greatest mill
tary activity In which the United
States ever has been engaged. Though
he has risen to national fame as a
lawyer, it was his brilliant work as
Secretary of War in the cabinet Of
Woodrow Wilson that gave him his
greatest hold on the American people
After the World War, Mr.. Baker
fought consistently for the ideals of
Wilson, sacrificing personal popularity
and political prestige whenever neces-
sary to champion these ideals.
Returning to the practice Of law fol-
lowing the war, Mr., Baker was
chief counsel in some Of the greatest
industrial cases handled in the Amer
1can courts during the last decade. He
was regarded at the time Of his death
as one of the most capable lawyers in
the country.
Among those who knew him Mr..
Baker was noted for his prodigious ca
pacity for work. Stories still are told
in the War Department Of his mex
haustible energy. which wore down all
with whom he came in contact His
driving force was all the more remark
able in view of his slight physique-he
never weighed more than 11O pounds
1t also is indicative of his character
that he never was known to lose his
temper.
Newton Baker took Office as Secre-
tary of War amid the most dramatic
circumstances and on his first day he
with the coolness which later charac-
terized his conduct Of the Nation.
military affairs in its greatest conflict
Massed 100000 Troops in Month.
The night Mr.. Baker left his home
ut Cleveland to take up his cabinel
duties Francisco Villa, the notorious
Mexican bandit, raided the town OF
Columbus, N. Mex. The next day
when he took the oath OF Office, Amer.
lean troops were sent into Mexico tt
pursue the raiders as q result of al.
most his first orders, and a few days
later Gen. John j. Pershing crossed
the border at the head a strong col.
umn on his famous punitive expedi-
ton"
Mr.. Baker mobilized along the inter.
national border within month 100, ,O0(
National Guard troops from the va
rious States. Though Pershing's ex.
pedition failed to captAre Villa, it sue.
ceeded in driving bandit bands away
from the border. and what is more
important, it gave thousands of Amer
ican officers and men excellent train.
ing for the World War service thai
was to come In another year.
Mr.. Baker faced a tremendous jot
when this country entered the Worle
War. Though the war had been ii
progress three years, the only military
activity In which this country had en-.
tsee BAKER, Page A-5).