The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-12-10
By MARK SULLIVAN.

! National Political Correspondent OF the
! INcii!gtncrc and New York Evening
Post.
! WASHINGTON, i. G.. Dec. 9.-Thcrc IS
much talk OF Will Hays as 4 cabinet
possibility. If the cabinet offices were
distributed on the basis OF marty seq
vice. Will Hays would be entitled 70 he
offered one. T"-m"rrow he Will be In
Marion to confer with Mr.. Harding.
or course. VIII Hays himself would
be the first To recognize that there Is no
such thing a. claim on cabinet
office. The cabinet Is the President $
! family, and ne is entitled to choose IL
on whatever basis of personal Judgment
or personal comfort he may wish. That
is the reason why all this discussion OF
rabuet possibilities IS little diStaste-
tul and is undertaken little reluctantly
But VIII Hays Is 50 obvious IN TINS
kind Of discussion that there Is less hes
fancy about mentioning him.
The Sad Case OF Hitchcock.
Even ii there were any such thing as
4 claim OH cabinet offire-WhlCh there
: il mott could not BE- said that TO have
filled the office Of national chairman az
;he party gives the holder any riEht L"
expect cabinet office.
In the past twenty years or American
politics I cap recall only two national
rhI!rmen who beam" n member or the
cabinet. They were George Il. tOrt"ly"n
and Frank Hitchcock. The latter man
aged Tafi's campaign in 1908. and Tar
offered him tn" office OF postmaster
general There was popular aprroprl-
atoness IN this. for Hitchcock was
already assistant; postmaster general.
Hitchcock didn'i want to take the office
hut Taft insisted. In the end, Imagine
/ they both regretted 1t.
Hitchcock. rs national chairman. had
command Of all the party workers
throughout IN" country, and. In sense
had put himself under obligations to
them. They in turn. when they wanted
patrunag" for themselves or Tor their
friends. looked to Hitchcock TO get IT,
Hitchcock became Kind Of resident am
baS sadnr at Washington for all the
office seekers in III" country. The re-
suit. Of course. was that every other
cabinet member rather set himself
against Hitchcock.
Hitchcock a postmaster general could
take care OF good deal Of patronage.
but when there was vacancy III any
other department and one Of HitChcOckS
party workers wanted =. the party
worker suffered rather than benefited
Ii was a painful situation 10 HITCHCOCK
TO Taft, To- the other cabinet members
and most Of all to the 1arty workers
Hays an Organization marvel.
The rNprrirn"" Of Hitchcock and tar;
is, Of course. no reason why Hays should
decline a cabinet office II il should h"
offered 10 him. Conditions IN this cas-"
arc different is several particulars from
what they were in the Taft-H!tchcoCk
case But there are other reasons why
HAYS might or might not wish 10 have
Harding offer him cabinet position
On the Other hand. Hays IS entirely cap
able to filling any one OF sevcra! raoin"t
offices. not merely with success. nut
with distinction:
To say Hays has ability Is rather to"
ohyIous in view OF the recent election
But even II the Republicans had lost tho
election. no one who had any contact
with Hnys would have altered the op!n-
ion that IN his line he Is an extremely
able person.
HIS ability obviously is chiefly IN the
line OF organization and energy. He
has an excellent SCusc OF organization,
and his capacity 10 supply that orran'-
zatlon with driving power was always
the marvel Of those who looked upon
his frail physiqu" and palld connten-
rrcc. If anything. Hays Is almost over
energetic He Is active to Il d"grc" that
leaves him no time for That kind OF
ability which lies T." the field " reflec-
ton.
II Hays has = problem that involves
thought and reflection. his way of Solv-
INK Il Is TO run Owe" Il list or pron!!-
I nent Republicans. ~ that ono VIII"
! has the best capacity for thought ~
that particular line. rurn the job over
To him, and tell him that judGmcn.
and decision will be called FOR at $40
i o'clock tn" following night. Hays func-
tons along the line of organization OK
else. have some times thought he did
himself an injustice in this. for H.
has the capacity for reflection, If he