New-York tribune., 1920-12-27
Senator Drops Considera.
ton of Foreign Pro-
gram to Devise Means
to Cut Expenditures
Seeks Best Expert
TO Head Treasury
Huge Cost of Running War
Department Chief Tar
get for Retrenchment
From a star Correspondent

ocepS VIII Oe taken mere this week bV
P1esident-elect Harding. as head of the
Republican party, to shift government
spending from war to a peace-time
basis. Temporarily foreign affairs are
to be relegated to the background while
Senator Harding devotes himself to
pressing domestic problems.
Members of House and Senate COM
mlttees that largely control the exren-
dltrre of the peoples money are to
confer with the Pres sident-elect between
row and New Years Day. The result
o. this is expected to be an immediate
reduction In appropriations, with a
consequent reaction later in reduced
taxation and finally in lowered living
costs.
One Of the first to como will be sena-
tor Porter ]. McComber, Of North Da-
kota, who In the absence of Senator
boies Penrose, is the ranking member
of the Senate Finance Committee
Others who will be here this week are
Representative ]. W. Good, of Iowa. of
the House Appropriations Committee.
Representative Frank Mondell, of Mon
tana. floor leader of the House; Repre-
sentative Patrick II. Kelley, of Michi-
gan, of the Naval Affairs Committee
and Representative Daniel R. Anthony,
of Kansas, second ranking member of
the Military Affairs Committee.
Hughcs's Selection Believed Settled
BY turning his back on foreign af
1alrs at this time Senator Harding has
created the impression that he has def
lnitely selected the man he wants to be
his Secretary of State. He also has
strengthened the impression that the
man is Charles Evans Hughes, who is
known on excellent authority to have
been receiving the most serious con-
sidcration of any of the elieibles dur
ing the last week
Senator Harding has watched with
grow ng concern the unemplovment
problem and the disturbed economic
situation, as reflected in the stock and
bond markets. This is understood to
have caused him to determine to ap-
point his Secretary of the Treasury at
the earliest possible moment, SO that
this second important member of his
Cabinet could begin to function in GER
tain respects, such as comforting with
those members of Congress with whom
ne inevitably will have dealings when
his appointment has been confirmed.
Some of the men who are cominr tbi ,,
week are expected to be asked so e1-
press their feelings regarding the fit
ness for the Treasury post Of half q
dozen men who are under considera
ton.
This list includes Charles D. Hilles,
OF New York; George M Reynolds and
Charles 6. Dawes, of Chicago, and for
mer Senator Weeks, of Massachusetts,.
Whatever they may tell Senator Har-
ding about this subject, he is sure to
tell them his wishes concerning low
cred government costs Il is a partv
pledge, and as head of the party the
Senator is going to request that i'm
mediate action be taken to cut appro-
prlations as sharply as is consistent
with efficiency.
War Department Chief Target
Senator Harding is understood to
feel that the greatest target for
charges of government ext.&NAgance
Is the War Department, with its great
army of civilian employees. 1t is about
this that he especially wants to t..
to Representative Anthony, Of the
Military Affairs Committee
Will II. Hays's visit, also scheduled,
of the Postmaster Generalship. Mr..
Hays is particularly concerned just
now about the appointment of SEN
ator Harding's secretary. He is anxi-
GUS to have Senator Harding offer this
post to Richard Washburn Child, a
close friend of Hays Senator Har-
ding is expected by persons about his
headquarters here to announce before
long the appointment of George s
Christian, who has served him as Sec
retary since he went to Washington.
Governor-elect Davis, another ex-
pected visitor, wants to talk about the
Ohio patronage, but Harry Daugherty
probably will have much to say about
that. There is another matter to be
settled between Mr.. Davis and Senator
Harding and that is the appointment
of Senator elect Frank Willis to sue
coed Senator Harding when the latter
resigns his seat. This he expects to
do on January 16, when Davis is in
auourated. Willis, it is now known,
objects to receiving the appointment
from G. vernon Cox. who offered to
name him if Senator Harding wished
to resign earlier. Wills's objections
are understood to be based on a feel
ing that Cox was responsible for the
bitterness of the final stage of the
Presidential campaign in Ohio.