Washington, June 21, psa: Roosevelt, refuting Republican claims that he was leading the nation into war, announced today he had nominated Colonel Henry Stimson Secretary of War and Colonel Frank Knox Secretary of the Navy "in behalf of our national solidarity and our national defence—and for no other reasons."
The President nominated the two Republican leaders to the high posts immediately after Mr.
Harry H. Woodring, the Secretary of War had presented the Chief Executive his resignation yesterday.
Colonel Knox, the Chicago publisher, was nominated to replace Mr, Charles Edison, the Secretary of the Navy, who resigned early this month to enter New Jersey politics.
President Roosevelt, in his explanatory statement today, em. phasized he had appointed Colonel Knox and Colonel Stimson, former Secretary of State, "in view of the fine, overwhelming sentiment of the nation for national solidarity in a time of world crisis."
"These appointments were also made in behalf of our national soli-clarity at such a time of crisis and in behalf of our national defence—
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.