Evening star., 1909-05-17
YIELDS HIS OBJECTION
Senator Hale WithdraWs 0p-
position to Cone Nomination.
CONTROVERSY IS AVOIDED
Break With White House Was
Threatened by Appointment.
EXPECT EARLY CONFIRMATION
Old Contest Over the Navy Reorgan-
ization Cause Of Delay Brought
About by Maine Senator.

Lieut.. Commander Cone will be the new
head Of the bureau Of steam engineering
of the Navy Department unless some
entirely unforeseen reason to the contrary
shows itself within the next few days
Senator Hale of Maine, former chair
man of the Senate naval committee, and
still one of the most influential members
Of that committee has withdrawn his OBJ
lection. The confirmation Of the nomina-
ton will occur probably within a very
few days.
This means a controversy that bid fair
to assume considerable proportions has
been avoided between President Taft and
the Senate. or, to be more exact, between
the President and Senator Hale and his
friends. Back Of the whole matter is the
old controversy over the reorganization
Of the department. in which Mr.. Hale has
been SO greatly interested and upon which
he has taken such q decided stand.
The delay in confirming the appoint
ment of Cone was entirely. due to Mr..
Hale, who did not think that President
Tafts selection was In line with the Hale
idea of running the department. He held
up the name on the plea that he wished
to examine into the matter carefully and
determine whether in his opinion the ap-
pointment would make for peace in the
department.
Caused Slight Goodness.
Immediately a certain GOODNESS devel-
oped between the senator from Maine and
Senator Perkins of California, the new
chairman Of the naval committee. Mr..
Perkins favored Cones appointment, and
SO did the other members of the COM
mittee Yesterday Mr.. Perkins allowed
y,;v caIF 1,n 1rox iv,fn Aico1lCCiOy,
the case, and he announced that he had
been unable to understand Mr.. Hales
attitude.
Mr.. Hale read the morning papers today
and at once let it be known to Mr.; Per
kins that he did not like to be put In the
light of opposing the President. Conse-
quently Mr.. Perkins declined to discuss
the matter at length today.
81 have said too much already" saio
he this morning. II do not want to ge,
into a controversy with Senator Hale"
The nomination, he explained, was "or
the table, in the committee, and might
be acted upon at any time. When asked
how the rest of the committee stood with
respect to the appointment he suggested
that each member be interviewed on the
question, but added:
II do not think you will find anybody
who is opposed to the confirmation except
Senator Hale"
1t did not take Mr.. Hale long to find out
which way the wind was blowing. He
had his secretary communicate with the
department and also got into communities
ton with Mr.. Taft. and decided this
morning not to cause any further delay
He let it be known that he had reached
the conclusion that Cones appointment
would not add fuel to the fire of the de-
partmental controversy.
Smooths Away Friction.
Lieut. Commander Cone, it has been as
serted, is identified with the opposition to
the regime of Admiral Capps, former
chief of the bureau of steam engineering
and friend of Senator Hale. 1t was sup.
posed that Mr.. Hale was blocking the
confirmation of Cone on account of his
regard for Admiral Capps. Therefore the
confirmation Of Cone will, it is claimed,
by some, be regarded in the Navy De-
partment as a decided victory for those
who have long opposed the bureaucratic
regime in the department. and will mean
that Secretary Meyer and President Taft
are not to have any trouble with the Sen
ate in carrying out their plans for the
department.
On the other hand, however friends OF
Lieut.. Commander Cone assert that he
has not been identified to any extent with
either of the opposing factions in the de-
partment and will not defend anybody
who has stirred up trouble on either side
These persons explain that this phase OF
the case was made plain to Mr.. Hale, and
that 1t was for that reason he withdrew
his opposition.