New-York tribune., 1918-01-19
w. HI. Hays Will Be Sup.
ported to Succeed Ma
tional Chairman
McAdoo Appointee
Announces Retirement
Will Step Down at St. Louis
Convention in Febru-
uary, He Says

William K. Wilcox viii resign the
Craftsmanship of the Republican Ma
tional Committee when it meets on
February IL. This became known last
night after William G. McAdoo, Di-
rector General OF Railroads, had an
nounced in Washington the appoint
men, OF Mr.. WILCOX as one OF the
members Of a commission TO investi-
gate railroad wage questions
Chairman Wilcox last night q, the
Ritz Carlton formally announced that
he had accepted tire place on the wage
commission. He said:
1T is hardly necessary for me to
say that the appointment announced
by Secretary McAdoo OF my member
ship to the commissio TO consider the
question of compensation to railroad
employees of the United States came
without any suggestion or solicitation
from me. The subject to be taken up.
however. is of such vast Importance
in connection with it can refuse to
comply. | therefore have accepted the
appointment and shall give to the task
my very best endeavors.
Resigns Chairmansi,ip
THE worl; to be undertaken is of
such a character. affecting as it does the
income Of hundreds of thousands Of
persons, that il gives to .he Office d
quasi judicial character. l. is my feel
ing that no one serving on this commits
cl l1 Il ,,@l;
ticaI party &ny more than he would
hold such an Office were he elected to
be Judge Of any court.
Having deciued therefore. to accept
he appointment ON the Wage Commits
sion, shall. in consequence Of this ac-
ceptance. resign the chairmanship of
the Republican National Committee at
the meeting to be held in St. Louis on
February l.. In doing this ! am fol-
lowing no suggestion from any source,
and am taking this step solely because
| feel that the nature Of the work is
such, and the Importance of it so great.
that in the performance of my duties
no one should be able to intimate or
suggest that there were any political
considerations involved. as some might
do If I remained chairman OF the ma
tional committee.'
1t is understood that the friends of
Chairman Wilcox in the national COM
mittce will throw their support to Will
II. Hays, of Indiana. the successful
chairman OF the Republican State Com
mittee. He is said to be of progressive
tendencies and to be favored by the So
called Progressive element in the ma
tional committee.
G.. 0. p. Battle Impending
The retirement of Chairman Wilcox
from the cha.rmanship is almost GER
,ain to precipitate a battle between the
Progressives and stand-patters for con-
troll of the Republican National Com
mittee. which has been called by Chair
man Wilcox to meet in st. Louis on
February -.
Chairman Wilcox up TO Tuesday Of
this week had no intention OF resigning
the charmarship. Under ordinary cir
cumstances he would have served for
two years more. until the Republican
National Convention in 1920 had named
its candidate for President, who, in
turn, would in regular order select his
own chairman as campaign manager
1t is understood that Mr. Wilcox
could have gone into the new board and
retained the Craftsmanship of the ma
tional committee had he so desired.
While the line OF cleavage between
the Progressives and the Stand Patters
has not been so clearly defined as to
crCdtc mucn SlIlIc Ill inc cOmInlllce, IL
IS a fact that Senators Penrose and
Smoot, ex-senator Crane, of Massachu-
setts, and John T. King of Connecticut
head a following that prefer old-fash-
'oncd Republican policies and methods
and they arc opposed by Chairman
Wilcox, cX-Justicc Hughes. eX-Prcsi-
dent Roosevelt, George ". Perkins and
men who think as they think about
what Republican policies should be.
Control kecnly Desired
With Chairman WillcoX in the saddle
warmly supported as he WAS BY his
friends, and with the argument that
there was no good reason why he should
not serve out his term, it looked easy
for the friends of Mr. Wilcox to re
tain control of the national committee
giving them a position Of moral vantage
in the early shaping of Republican
policies.
While the partisans admit that it
would be difficult for the national com
mittec tc shape national policy or
prcdctcrmine tho trend of things in the
national convention so long in advance
they assert that control. even midway
between campaigns, is 81 most desirable
thing. afording tactical advantages not
20 be lightly treated
Mr.. Wilcox will attend the meeting
OF the national committee in st. Louis
tie Will 60 to Washington on Sunday.