Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-12
PRESIDENT DELVES
into HOME ISSUES
Cabinet Questions Receiving
Attenti0n-vet0 Power in
Background.
ECONOMY HITS SOLDIERS
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Wilson may seem to be
most interested in getting the peace
treaty and league of nations ratified,
but he is nevertheless delving deeply
into the domestic situations. political,
economic and financial. which have
grown acute during his absence.
The President has been told that his
administration was severely criticised
while he was in Europe-criticised for
many powers exercised by cabinet
officers and other subordinates and
that the people are expecting him to
set his official house in order.
Burleson Controversy.
First and foremost among the deli
cate problems which stare Mr.. Wilson
Postmaster General. Albert Sidney
Burleson. 1t would be surprising in
deed il the President fatty asked the
POSTMASTER General to resign. He has
always given ear to Mr.. Burleson's
observations and no man in the
cabinet has spent more OF his time
talking or thinking about the political
fortunes or destiny Of Woodrow Will
son than the Postmaster General.
or course Mr.. Burleson's opponents,
and they are numerous. would be glad
II the President asked for the Pesig-
this is unlikely. What seems more
plausible is that Mr.. Burleson himself
Will ofer to withdraw from the cabi-
net. Even then Mr.. Wilson might con-
slider that he had even more import
ant work for the Postmaster General
than managing the Post Office Depart
ment-he might appoint him on one
of the numerous international COM
missions which are being set up in
this country and abroad to carry out
the provision of the peace treaty and
to meet the reconstruction needs of
( Europe. But that Mr.. Burleson, like
one or two others of the cabinet, is
/ ready and anxious to turn himself
away from an Office which he has held
unint errupt eddy for seven years is be-
ginning to be thought in quarters
where the subject is gently touched
| upon every now and then in a manner
significant and interesting.
/ Denial Usually Issued.
! Usually when there is an unfounded
rumor that a cabinet officer is to re-
sign instant denial is forthcoming.
And the White House adds a word or
two of emphatic denial. But the abb
solute refusal of White House OFF,
Gals even to discuss the subject is
generally construed in Washington as
the fOrerunner of some change.
There is good reason to believe that
Mr.. Burleson himself wrote the Presi-
; dent rather clearly on the subject of
| recent criticism and indicated will
ingneSS to withdraw if he seemed to
be i'll the way. The President has
! not yet let any one know what his
answer would be. But if Mr.. Wilson
wants to rally the democratic leaders
/ in various parts OF the country and
Q lsr,lG, !.
clamor OF the democrats, who claim
their chances to win next time have
! been hurt by the PoStma Ster Generals
attitude on various public questions.
Another cabinet officer who has
lately been mentioned as likely to re-
tire is William c. Redfield Secretary
of Commerce. I asked him today if
/ there was an truth in the report.
! but he said NO" without eQuivoca =
ton. Like many another cabinet
| secretary, however. who realizes that
; only about eighteen months remain Of
! the second Wilson term. he has been
thinking of what he would do after
retiring from the cabinet and it is
just possible that his plans may mate
riaiize before the end of this admins
tration.
Season for Changes.
This is the season in all admins
trations when cabinet changes are
usual There would have been more
! shifts If Mr.. Wilson had not felt it
necessary TO go to Europe. Most OF
the cabinet officers deemed il their
duty to run their departments without
trying to break in successors while
MIR. Wilson was away.
X, Mr.. Wilson is already giving much
attention to these questions of per-
sonnet. but he is also turning with
] especial interest to the action. past
Continued, on Sees1d,Pa9e,