The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-11-17
WILSON ADVISORS
TO HELP BREAK IN
HARDING CABINET
President Elect Expected to
Appoint New Department
/ Heads About February ],
Says David Lawrence.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,
Especial Correspondent Of The News
sS SninotfarA

special correspondent OF ! ne vows
Scimitar9
WASHINGTON, Nov. 17.-Presi-
Eient- elect Harding will select his
cabinet by Feb. or thereabouts, ana
will send his 10 associates to Wash
Ington. They win find the 10 cabi-
41et officers of the Wilson admins
Rration glad to familiarize the new
tabinet officials with all the rou-
Zine of the government departments.
This suggestion, which is not
prompted by the Wilson administra-
Zion, but has been talked about in
official circles by persons who want
Ito see the transfer of government
with the least annoy
lance and Inconvenience to the
american people,, really emanates
from those who constantly have
business before the government de-
Ipartments, and who fear that if orr
binary procedure is followed it will
be April or May before action can
be obtained on pending matters.
Usually it take new cabinet off,
Ger at least a month to learn the
Routine of his department. During
that period he is dependent upon
subordinate officials whom he does
bot know. They put documents be-
fore him to sign and he must either
lgive his approval or take the respon-
asipility for delay. In some cases de-
3cisions are urgent, and there is no
{pther course but to take the advice
sOf departmental subordinates.
Knox Starter of Plan.
When President Wilson was elect.
3ed in 1912 Secretary Knox recog-
3nized the Importance of getting early
Incorporation between the outgoing
Aand incoming administrations, espe-
3cially on the Mexican situation,
(which was then acute. Huntington
Wilson, assistant secretary ofNItate.
was selected to advise the new ad-
aministration about pending matters.
4 However. there is no comparison be-
tween the number of vital questions
(which as a consequence of the war
1 are before the government depart
lments today and the routine matters
i of eight years ago. -
y For instance, the treasury depart
ment is in many respects even more
Important than the department of
state nowadays, because the finances
] of the whole world bear a relation
ship to the action Of the United
States treasury. A months time
spent by the new secretary of the
Treasury before he actually assumes
Responsibility would be invaluable,
In fact, there is no reason why all
/ the time between the November
election and Inauguration should not
| be employed by members of the new
administration in studying closely
the problems they are to tackle later
on. The incumbent administration
would have no objection to opening
all files and furnishing all data. In
fact, in a good many cases the in
4 terests of the United States govern
ment abroad would be better pro.
tected if there were conferences be.
1 tween the two American administra.
tions.
In several cases foreigners have at.
/ tempted to take advantage of the
transition period to further their owl
interests.
Matter of Courtesy.
The whole thing is purely mat
Z ter of courtesy and Is not covered
by any particular precedent. IL
some cases, cabinet officers have
stayed on after their successors were
appointed, but, while assistance ha
been helpful the responsibility of thu
new official dates from the momen
he takes the oath of office, and h
] has no time for research or investi
cation. A month or two before thu
i inauguration affords a better oppor
j tunity to get hold of routine ques
tions because it is sort of slacl
period in government. When once |
new administration is installed tn
avalanche begins.
Office seekers and political friend
consume time that should otherwis
be devoted to learning the ropes
Many a cabinet official has been II
a dahe for weeks after he took offic
simply because he has no time t
get his bearings, but must take i'm
mediate responsibility for every
thing in his own department.
1t is also suggested that President
elect Harding would be material
assisted if his 10 cabinet officer
were already familiar with the de
tail of pending questions when tn
first cabinet meeting is called. Their
is no political disadvantage in tn
L echeme, as the Democratic admins
alton is responsible for everythin
'at is done in the name of tn
y enited States government until moo
IF March 4, but there is a decide
advantage to the public at large be
cause the transfer of government
nowadays will not be as simple a
it used to be before the war; Tn
less some such plan is adopted tn
goeernment departments will prac
tically stand ystill for many week
while the new cabinet officers try t
accustom themselves to their me-
surroundings and master the com
plexities of government business.
Copyright, 1920. by David Law