Newton D. Baker to Woodrow Wilson

I have your note of the 12th and Senator Fletcher's letter.
General Wood's recommendation of Jacksonville, and Columbus, Georgia, as the last sites to be named by him was frankly stated to be based on the theory of aggregating these troops on the Atlantic Coast. As that was no part of the original instructions given him, I felt obliged to disregard recommendations which were based solely on that theory. His second set of recommendations were Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Alexandria, Louisiana. I went over the matter with the greatest care and had the concurrence of General Bliss and General Garlington in the final decision to place the camps at Hattiesburg and Alexandria.
I have written a very frank personal letter to Senator Fletcher on the subject. His constituents are unbelievably annoying to the Senator and unjust to him, and I am afraid his own feelings have been a good deal disturbed at the decision which I have been obliged to make; but he deserves well at their hands, as he has been a most earnest and persuasive advocate of Jacksonville as a site.