Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-02-26
BAINBRIDGE COLBY,
 LATE PROGRESSIVE,
 SUCCEEDS LANSING
Former Bull Moosers' Selec. tion is Cause of Sur
 prise

Washington, Fet 25.-Bainbridge Colby of New York who was one o1 the leaders in the Progressive party under Theodore Roosevelt. Will succeed Robert Lansing as Sec retary of State. Announcement of his selection by President Wilson was made today at the White House.
 The selection of Mir Colby came as 2 surprise. most officials as- suming that Frank L. Polk acting secretary. would be the presidents choice. The first inkling that the president was to appoint some one outside his official family came when Mir. Colby visited the White House early in company with Ray mond T. Baker, director of the mint
 hr Colby was taken to see the president on the south lawn and a few minutes later the formal an- nouncement of his selection was made. His nomination is expected to be sent to the senate within a day or two.
 This is not the first office Mir Colby has held under the presidents administration. He was appointed a member of the shipping board and the emergency fleet corporation in
 
 the American mission to the inter allied shipping conference at Paris Tn the same wear. He retired from the shipping board more than a year ago.
 MT. Colby was life long Repub- lican until the famous Bull Moose bolt at the Chicago convention in 1912. He had been actively identi- fled with the candidacy of Theodore Roosevelt for the Republican nom- ination for president that year and was in charge of contests to seat the Roosevelt delegates in the Chi cagn convention.
 When Col. Roosevelt bolted the convention MT. Colby helped to found the progressive party and was delegate to it's Chicago conven- tion in 1912. He continued an &C., tive leader in the party and in 1914 and again ir 191e he was a Pro- eressive candidate for senator from New York state.
 Colby Silent.
 When Colonel Roosevelt threw the weight of his influence to Charles Evans Hughes in the 1916 presiden- tial election, MT. Colby identified ".
 MT. Colby was born at St Louis s51 years ago and graduated from Williams College. Massachusetts. He spent one year at the Columbia Law school and has practiced law in New York since 1892 He was member of the New York assembly in 19O1-0
 On leaving the White House Mr. Colby said:
 Il had 9 long and nnhurried con- ference with the president which i'm pressed me with the great confi- dence he has reposed in me. I hope shall not prove inadeduate to these great duties"
 MT. Colby said that pendin~ con- sideration of his nomination bv the senate he did not desire to make a statement
 After MT. Colby has taken office Mir. Polk. who has been Secretary ad interim since the resignation of Mr lansing is expected to retire from the State Department. MT. Folks health has not been pood and phy- sicians have advised him to take a long rest.
 Shold MT. Polk retire two impor- tant posts in the State Department would be vacant. that of under secre- tary and of assistant secretary Tho latter place was held by William Phillips. newly appointed minnister to the Netherlands and Luxembourg
 News of MT. Colbv's selection was received with unconcealed surprise among both Democrats and Rernbli- cans in the senate, which will be called upon to confirm his nomina- ktion. None of the senators have &ared to venture any public exnres- sion on the subject of confirmation.
 Fight Upon Him.
 When Mr Colby was nominated 'n 1917 for membership on the ship ping board, his confirmation was ac, complished only after a prolonged light. The commerce committee, voted by majority of one to re- rort> the nomination favorably, it be- ing understood that Senator Reed Democrat, Miseruoi. voted in the negative and that Senator Johnson. : Republican. California, broke the tic.
 At that time Mr. Colbv's activit ies in the Progressive party still were fresh in the minds of the sen ate members.
 As in the committee, the Pro- pressive element was said to have turned the tide however. Senator Johnson, Kenyon. Republican. Iowa. and others joining with the Demo- cratc.
 Neither Senator Calder not Son. ator Wadsworth would cav todav what stand he might take toward confirmation of MT. Colby as Secre- tarv of State.
 Possibilities that the Peace Treaty fight mipht have hearing on the confirmation developed from the fact that Mir Colby, in recent speeches