The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-06-16
LAWRENCE PICKS
HARDING CABINET
BY DAVID LAwRENCD
(copyr1Rhs BY The IntelIt1anesr.)

CHICAGO. ILL.,, June LO.-lcnpCEalS
may Re feeling lcyiul over the choice Of
. conservative like Senator Harding for
the Republican pres :dcntial nomination.
but it they imagine the Republicans are
going to the country on the personality
0t Mr.. Harding alone they are very
much mistaken.
Politicians are Stil here and man.
ayers are already planning. And the
big drive the Republicans Will make Is
on the character OF the cabinet adNtS-
ers whom S>lator Harding Will select.
Everybody knows Senator Harding Will
probably admit that first OF all he Is
not an tmpulSIYe man, nor a decisive IN
dividual. Nor is there anything IN MS
makeup approaching the arbitrary. But
ne does take adSice-and seeks II. too.
Therefore the Republicans Will say TO
their critics that whatever senator
Harding may lack IN asScruVe qualities
will be more than made uc by his calm
and dclibCratiNe consultations with the
best minds in the country.
Mr. Harding is the Kind Of man who
may distribute offices to deserving Re
publicans according To the wishes or the
campaign committee. but hr Will draw
the line against inctticiency. As De
tween an executive who happened TO
work for Republican success but who
also was efficient and another man or
equal efficiency, Mr.. Harding would
probably choose the one who had work
ed for the party. But the senator from
Ohio who has been picked by the Old
Guard Is the type OF public servant who
rs always conscious OF his responsible
tics He would lay awake nights wor-
ryinG about his job and would therefore
seek 10 surround himself with the oeSt
men he could get.
There is some talk about q novel way
Of approaching the American electorate
this year to emphasize the contrast be-
.A,S AA p
man government on the part OF PreSi-
dent Wilson and cabinet government by
the Republican nominee. II he Is sue
crSSful. or course the politicians see
obstacles in one plan that is being taiS-
I'd 81. but admittedly il would help the
candidate That plan is for Senator
Harding TO announce next August or
September the names or ten men VINO
would be members OF his cabinet. This
would give the people chance TO see
who might manag &c the ten departments
Of the government. For in the distri-
button of executive power. the head OF
department frequently exercises auth-
ority actually delegated by the Presi-
often times final. The new scheme
would afford an opportunity TO pass
upon the qualifications OF men before
election who ordinarily would be in
charge OF the desttnieS or the people
after election. especially in the ADVICE
tNeS TendcCSu anu pSiASaSS Sa'N- N>'
vocated for the guidance or the new
President
Several leaders who have talked about
thc plan admitted that X had merit.
though they said IN political cam
paiyE il was difficult TO promise cabinet
positions without embarrassing the
candidate himself. Nevertheless II Is a
fact that candidates OF ten select thetr
cabinets ahead Of election time. This
is one Of the states that was suggested
n
Ysmoer:
Phiander G. Knox.
Attorncy Cicneral-charles Evans
Hughes. OF New York.
Secretary or the Treasury-FranA
Secretary Of war--Leonard Wood. or
Lindlcy VI. Garrison
secretary Of AEriculture-Scnator
Capprr, Of Kansas.
Secretary OF Laeor-Senator Kenyon
POSTMASTER Gcneral-will Hays. OF
Indiana.
tor Weeks. Of Massachusetts.
Secretary Of the Interlor-Governor
Lowden. OF Illinois.
secretary OF Commerce-Herbert
Hoover. ~ California.
Or course Il would he difficult to get
the permission Of men OF such promi-
nence TO have their names used In a
campaign that might not be successful.
but all the ten men are Republicans ind
most OF them will probably be work
ing publicly to help elect Senator Hard
ing. Again and again. business men
who have come to Washington nave
compained about their treatment In
government departments. There seems
10 be no way 10 cure an erorr in choos-
ing 4 cabinet unless public opinion gets
unusually excited and even then loyalty
20 a friend frequently causes Presidents
10 hesitate 10 ask for designations.
Those leaders who talked OF the plan OF
nominating a cabinet in advance said
that at least II had the merit OF telling
the public what they might expect in
the ten different departments OF the eI-
'ecutiye branch of the government.