NEWTON D. BAKER

This is a competent if pedestrian first full-length portrait of Newton Baker. Baker, born a West Virginian, set up law practice in Cleveland, Ohio. He quickly became involved in the reform administration of Cleveland's remarkable Mayor Tom Johnson, then succeeded his mentor to give Cleveland a continued progressive- and excellent- administration. Baker achieved further fame as Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of War during World War I. After the war, he returned to Cleveland as a lawyer and man of good causes, a faithful supporter of the League of Nations. He was seriously considered for the Presidential nomination in 1932 when there was a possibility of a deadlock among the leading contenders. Although the diminutive Baker was famous as an orator, he spoke without notes, so we have little evidence here of his eloquence.