The Washington herald., 1920-12-23
HARDING WHIPS
PACT IN SHAPE
TOGIVE WORLD
Association of Nations"
Emerges From Its Neb-
ulous Shape.
WILL ANNOUNCE
CABINET SOON
President-elect Realizes
Need for Deciding on
Chief Posts.
by SAMUEL w. BELL.

MARION Ohio Dec. 22.-Two more
or less definite developments stand
out today as the result of two weeks
OF conferences President-eIect Hard
ing has conducted since his return to
Marion.
First-The evolution of the idea
of the association of nations from
the rather nebulous stages of the
campaign to a concrete plan to be
submitted for world consideration
after March 4. and which counts on
a non-political conference or agree
ment of the great powers to realize
it's aim of the prevention of war.
Second-The probability of an
nouncement not long after the first
of the year of Senator Harding's Sc
lections for. Secretary of State, Sec
retary of the Treasury. and perhaps
one other cabinet member. as the
groundwork around which the new
cabinet will be built and the policies
VI lhC hC" dliOh pioySSiCu'
Features of League Plan.
The general features of the as
sociation plan, which have been de-
scribed exhaustively heretofore. of
course, will be the codification of
international law. a world court
for the settlement of justiciable
questiond and a world forum for
the discussion of matters of policy
which lie beyond the jurisdiction of
the court. But the meaning of the
last phase of the President-elect's
three-oint program, which had not
been made any too plain, has taken
on a clearer aspect as the confer
ences proceed.
Apparently, Harding is to pin his
faith on an agreement of the great
powers. perhaps the allies in the
late war. to join with the United
States in a moral leadership for
the world. His fundamental idea
does not contemplate political al
liances or even written agreements
beyond treaties.
Cabinet Selections Soon.
1t is understood also that the pro-
posal confines itself, at least in the
beginning, to an agreement of the
great powers on the general theory
that a few great nations, pledged
to a beneficent and just purpose.
can sway the remainder of the
world.
The appointment within a short
time of Secretary of State and a
Secretary of the Treasury, or at
least the definite determination of
the men VINO are to occupy those
two posts, now seems extremely
likely. Not only has the President
elect been subjected to pressure to
this end by some of his closest ad-
visers, but he himself is inclined to
realize the Importance of getting pol
cies of the new government on in
ternational affairs and the all-im-
portant financial questions into
shape as soon as possible.
Thus far, the 'President-elect. ac-
cording to his own fat statement
made again today, has made defin-
lite offers of Cabinet positions to no
one.
Sees Hughes Looming Large.
Speculatively, and with reason, it
can be said that Charles Evans
Hughes looms large as the probsb BILE
appointee for the State portfolio
with Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania
not beyond consideration, but virtu-
ally eliminated by his own reluc-
tance to assume the arduous duties
of the office. The recent visit of
Gov. Sproul, of Pennsylvania, pre-
sumably to urge the appointment OF
Senator Knox, has revived the Knox
talk, but not to the extent of over
shadowing the growing conviction
that Hughes is to be the choice.
Speculation in Marion on the
Treasury post today is centerins
about Charles Dawes, Chicago bank
er, but its prevalence is due largely
to the recentness of Dawes yisi,
here. There are those close to the
Prsident-lect. who still cling to the
belief that John w. Weeks, who is
almost certain to be in the cabinet
will achieve his preference and be-
come Secretary of the Treasury.
The great part reorganization OF
government departments is to play
in the work of the Republican ad-
ministration during the next -four
years, it is understooi, is a consider
alton influencing Senator Harding in
making his selections. All members
of the new cabinet, probably will be
pledged to the proposed reorganiza.
ton and a willingness to surrender
many cabinet prerogatives if the
exigencies of government reorgani-
cation require it.
fCouvrixht I020 p,.hli, T.l~~- ~