The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-27
FRANK L. POLK TO BE
THE u. S. COUNSELLOR
Corporation Counsel of This
City Picked for the Post by
Secretary Lansing.
TENDER NOT YET MADE

wAsHINGToN, Aug &c. --- President
Wilson will tender the appointment OF
Counsellor OF the State Department In
few days to Frank l.. Polk. Corpora
ton Counsel Of the city of New York
Mr.. Polk is an accomplished lawyer
and stands high in the esteem OF Presi-
dent Wilson and Secretary McAdoo. lie
was selected by Mr.. McAdoo for Col.
lector OF the Port of New York in the
early days of the Administration. but
the appointment was prevented by Sem
ator o'Gorman.
Secretary Lansing is understood to
have selected Mr.. Polk for the Counsellor
ship.
This disclosure, which comes from a
high Administration authority. shows
clearly that the friends of ex-Represent-
ative A. Mitchell Palmer have realized
the inadvisability of further urging him
for the Counselorshlp. President Wilson,
with a few inconspcuous exceptions.
his Cabinet members to select the men
TO be appointed to positions in their re-
spective departments.
Nr. PaImer's Case.
Until few days ago. when dis
mysterious White House visitor who
was described by the initials M. p"
and who apparently go Information
from the President which was passed on
to agents OF the German Government,
Mr. Palmer was believed to be under
favorable consideration for the counsel
lorship.
Mr.. Palmer himself has issued a
statement denying emphatically that he
was The M. p" referred to in the
newspaper disclosures
| Secretary Lansing had never urged the
| President to make the appointment, how
ever, and it was realized that unless Mr..
Lansing did give his Endorsement Mr..
/ Palmer would not be selected
Friends OF the Pennsylvania thought
! the wisest course was TO abandon the
| idea of bringing about his appointment
| for fear lthat further urging might EN-
! barrass both the President and Mr.. Lam
| sing. /: was declared that this attitude
Indicated anything but an acceptance OF
| the implications drawn from the news
paper disclosures referred to and that
! the friends of Palmer wished merely tC
| spare the President the unpeasantness
OF meeting the criticisms that might
come from sources unfriendly to Pal
mer, should the appointment be insisted
upon
4 Personal Selection.
is not to be regarded as a special marx
or approval for the reform element II
the New York Democratic ranks, wher
he has been politically prominent. II,
IL understood to have been the persona
selection of Secretary Lansing. who pos
sibly acted without extended consulta
tions with Administration officials.
Whether or not Mr.. Polks attltud,
toward the appointment has beer
sounded has not been disclosed Ii II
believed, however. that he would vel
| come the tender OF the office. for the
Counsellorship fas been dignified in thC
! Administration by the incumbency o
John Bassett Moore and Robert Lansing
the present Secretary OF State.
As Counsellor during Mr. Bryan!
term as Secretary OF state. Mr.. Ian
sing was President Wilson's chief ad
wiser on the foreign situation. II wa
a fact not generally known ~ the time
however, that despite the difference o
viewpoint which developed between Mr.
Bryan and Mr.. Lansing during the earl!