The New York herald., 1920-12-25
Decision Rests Upon For
mer Presidential Candi-
dates Readiness to Fore
90 Legal Career.
ROOT SECOND CHOICE
Hilles, Reynolds and Dawes
Under Consideration for
Treasury Post Sought
by Weeks.
TAFT A MARION VISITOR
Daugherty, Hays and Hert Ac-
tive in Pressing Claims for
Seats-Sutherland Is
Still a Factor.
TAFT A MARION VISITOR


MARION, Ohio, Dec. 24.-If the ulti-
mate choice of Warren G. Harding
for his Secretary of State could be
viewed as a sporting proposition, the
book" to use term once familiar,
would stand as follows:
Charles e. Hughes, to 10.
E,lihu Root, 10 to /.
AS the mind of the President -elect
Is revealed on Christmas eve, there
are no other possibilities. Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts. Senator Knox
of Pennsylvania, David Jayne Hill of
New York and George Sutherland of
Utah have been eliminated as Mr..
Hardings mind leisurely weighed their
availability and as he measured the
weight of opinion of the American
people. 1t is now proper to state that
the greatest weight of public opinion
has been thrown for Mr.. Hughes.
Early Decision Looked For.
Mr.. Hughes has not yet accepted an
invitation. 1t is understood here that
he is gravely considering the problem of
whether he can afford financially the
splendid honor of heading the Cabinet
Of President Harding. The belief is
that he will consider it to be his duty to
accept and that his decision will be made
before New Years day.
In what now seems the remote event
that Mr.. Hughes should reluctantly de-
cline to aid President Harding in formu-
lating the American foreign policies OF
a great new era. it is impossible to es-
cape the conclusion that Mr.. Root will
be drafted for the task
As regards the Treasury, the situa-
ton is by no means so clear. The Presi-
dent-elect Is now considering three men.
Charles ID. IIilles OF New York and
George NJ. Reynolds and Charles q.
Dawes of Chicago, with John w. Weeks,
his personal friend, eagerly seeking the
honor. Mr.. Reynolds is backed by
Harry NJ. Daugherty. Mr.. Dawes by
FRED NJ. Upham, treasurer of the Repub-
Lean National Committee. and Mr..
liilles by William II. Taft, who was here
to-day. and by group Of influential
Eastern bankers.
Hoover for Interior Post
The West will get the Secretary of
the Interior. His name is most likely
10 be Herbert c. Hoover That also Is
an open question. but Mr.. Hoover's
name leads all the rest II Is even
money on him against the field. Over
this place there has been more bicker-
ing, more contention than over any
post In the Cabinet. 1t is the bone Of
contention of the great development in
terests. mostly oil. that have a stake
In the West and I'm Alaska. The Stand
ard OIL people, the Sinclair On peonle
and the Doheny oil group have been
sending their representatives to Mr..
Harding to urge the claims OF this man
or that, but mostly against the selec-
tion of one or two men under consid-
Grafton. Herbert G. Hoover has power
ful enemies. Senator Albert b. Fall of
New Mexico might have the post for
the asking. but Senator Fall does not
want to be IN the Cabinet He prefers
TO remain I'm The Senate for two wars
moro at least and to lead the impor
tant work of providing remedial legisla-
tion for American agriculture and stock
raising.
The position in which former Senator
John w. Weeks of Massachusetts, mas
placed himself is extremely interesting.
albeit embarrassing TO his friend the
Presldent-elect. There are few men
for whom Mr.. Harding has a warmer
friendship or greater respect than for
Mr.. Weeks, but up to date at least he
has not wanted to make Mr.. Weeks
Secretary of the treasury. lie has sug-
gested that Mr.. Weeks take either Navy
or War. Mr.. Weeks replies that he
doesn't want Navy because his former
classmates at Annapolis are all admit
rals or captains now and II would not
be agreeable TO him to be placed In the
position OF rewarding some and of dis
appointing others. lie has no special
liking for the War job. lie yearns to
sandle the finances OF America. The
Weeks situation is one of the trouble
some problems In the Harding Cabinet
task.
Daugherty's Ambitions.
II Harry M. Daugherty. who ran the
pre-convention campaign. and who
makes no bones about saying publicly
that he was the man who put Harding
over" wants a Cabinet Job he ls going
TO get II. Mr. Harding is not the kind
OF man to dIsappoint one he has leaned
upon. He Is too human. But II he
makes Daugherty Attorney General
the post Mr.. Daugherty wants, Il means
that another man Mr.. Harding would
like very much to have In the Cabinet
must stay out. That man is George
Sutherland.
Had 1t not been for the fact that
Mr.. Sutherland was born In England
he would have divided with Mr. Hughee
Mr.. Harding's consideration for Sec
retary OF state. but the matter OF sue.
Continued on Fiffh Page.