The Washington times., 1920-12-10
YOUNG TEDDY
FOR CABINET
Junior Roosevelt Is Doomed for
War Secretary by Ameri-
can Legion.

Col. theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Ii the
latest prominent figure mentioned
in connection with, the new Harding
Cabinet.
Colonel Roosevelt will be strongly
urged for the office of Secretary of
War. Word has reached Washing
ton that many Of his friends in the
American Legion, and among the
veterans of the A. Il. +. in general,
are for him, and are going TO take
steps TO press upon Senator Harding
the advantages of his appointment.
LEGION BOOSTS HIN.
Western posts of the American Lek
gion. II is said. will soon take steps
To advance the cause OF Colonel Roose-
welt. The latter Is not seeking Cabi-
net place, but the movement for him
has been begun by his friends.
Briefly; the argument for the nomt
nation of Colonel Roosevelt for the
Cabinet and for the position OF War
Secretary Is this: That mo- regular
army man should be named because
Of the factionalism I'm the regular
service; and, on the other hand, that
no civilian without military expert
ence at the front in the world war
should be named, but that the appoin-
tee should be "A man in civil life who
fought in the war and knows modern
war and what IL all means. At the
same time. IL Is argued, man is
needed who will be fair and impartial
as between the regular army and
national guard and who will have the
business sense and the personal force
to prevent the department from run.
ming away with Uncle Sam in the
matter of expenditures.
Colonel Roosevelt. as an officer who
saw hard lighting in France, and as
young and energetic man, long
familiar with the traditions of the
War Department and the regular
army and at the same time friendly
to the national army and national
guard, Is spoken of as the type for
which the situation calls.
POST HARD TO FILL.
Thus far, there has been much un
certainty about the post Of Secretary
OF War. 1t is a hard position to fill
| satisfactorily. Gen. Leonard Wood,
capable soldier as he is, has a long
string of enemies and IL appointed,
there would be jealousy and faction
alism. The same Is true of General
Pershing. Chairman julius Kahn, of
the House Military Committee, has
the strong support Of many fViends
and is eminently qualified, though II
Is recognized there are some compli-
cations in California politics that
might interfere, the chief one being
the candidacy of Congressman Nolan
for Secretary of Labor.
Colonel Roosevelt. its is recalled.
did great work for Harding In the
recent campaign. He set out OF
series of speaking tours. accompanied
by Raymond Robins. Those in
charge OF his itenerary were, of
course, not convinced that the young
man had had enough experience to be
sent out through many States by him
self to fill the entire time without
some more experienced speaker as
his co-adjutor. But it soon developed
that Colonel Roosevelt not only drew
vast audiences. but enthusiastic ones,
and that he was fully qualified to
20 it alone. Robins was the first to
say this and for weeks young
Teddy" went through the hardest
sort Of campaigning without assis-
lance from any quarter. He developed
into one of the most popular speakers
of the campaign and made a great
hit with the veterans who heard him.
LAUDs COLONEL ROOsEvENT.
One Of the prominent veterans of
the A. f. Il. from the Middle West,
who is in Washington this week
Col. Wilbur Conkling, of Iowa-who
made a brilliant record in charge of
the sanitary train of the Rainbow
Division through its series of hard
battles in France, declared today
Colonel Roosevelt was the ideal selec-
ton for the War Department and
would make
an effort to have him chosen. He said
friends OF Colonel Roosevelt would
AXE the matter up in many American
Legion posts.
Colonel Roosevelt would make the
best possible selection for Secretary
Of War" said Colonel Conkling. 'He
is "a civilian who was in the fighting
line. He is not a regular army Of
ficer and he is not OF the swivel-chair
type. He knows from hard expert
ence what modern war means. He
would be fair as between the regular
irmy and the national guard. His Sc
lection would MI the American Le-
gion with enthusiasm and he would
run the department in a busipess-like'
way. He Is young and energetic and
you can depend on II no one would
put anything over on him"
The mention of Colonel Roosevelt
for Secretary Of War is the most strik
ing recent Cabinet development
In connection with the mention of
Senator Knox for the office OF Sec
rotary OF state, Pennsylvania pol
iticians are bringing forward certain
state political complications which
may prevent it 1t seems that IL Knox
retires from the Senate, Governor
Sproul is likely to appoint State SEN
ator William T.. Crow as senator. He
is an anti-Penrose man and Senator
Penrose does not want him named.
Unless this matter can be straight
ened out, Penrose may insist Knox
No tn