The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-11-05
Those Relating to Gen. Wood
Are Not Well Based
Three Men Close to Presi-
dent Who Are Likely to Be
Consulted
BY MARX SULLIVAN
National Political Correspondent or Inc
Intelligencer and the New York
Evening Post.


field of what President wilson occas-
ionally refers to az "c2njeGturai Jour
nalism" Indeed. some Of this Capihet
talk goes beyond being nArely harmless
guessing Some of it is put out in
way which the experienced recognize as
the case of the guileess reporter SerV-
ing unwittlngly the purposes OF Polit'c-
hns who are by no means guilelesS:
If man is a real Cabinet possibility
and if some politicians would like 10
keep him out, d good way to MAKE ms
selection Impossible is to circulate rum
orS that his appointment is to be maze
as the result of q deal. .,
For example, ! have seen II stated
that Cen. Wood Is to be made Secre-
tary of War as the result Of a. deal at
the Chicago convention. AS matter OF
fact everybody who was close 10 the
Chicago convention knows that General
Wood was the one candidate whose dele
gates stuck to him to the end and that
he is about the last man who could be
said to have delivered any delegates 10
! Senator Harding. Gen. WOOD may or
may not be considered AS CABINET
! possibility, but the suggestion that he
might be selected because OF pre-con-
yention arrangement Is chiefly valuable
for the smiles that are IN IL
OF Three Men Close to Harding
! Omitting all conjectures of actual
Cabinet Suggestions, this much can be
said: In the various occasions that l
have had OF observing Senator Hard
!ng's encourage during the last threG
months. II struck ME that there seemed
I IN be three men who were obviously
close to the Senator's decisions and pol
! icies. In the neld Of thought and policy
1t was very apparent that the TWO
who were most in touch with senate,
Harding were ex-senator Sutherisnu
~ Utah and Richard Washburn ChlId
These two were obviously very close 10
Senator Harding in the discussion OF
policies, and everybody with any dis
elimination took satisfaction IN KNOW
q. Ing that this was so.
Former senator Sutherland is man
of unusual ability and highmindedness.
think that anyone who would consult
&C. accepted leaders OF the legal worlu
IN Amerlca-any one who would ASK
| Senator Root. for eXample-would De
/ told that Mr.. Sutherland is one OF the
| two or three best lawyers In America
| When he was active in politics, some
wears ago, Senator Sutherland trained.
on the whole. with the Old Guard crowa
of the Republican party and stayed WIN
that party when the Progressive split
. occurred; but II Is also true that IN most
matters his thought was Identical win
that Of the Progressives. My recollection
Is that Senator Sutherland helped
Senator La Toilette in the making ana
passing OF the well-known Seamen'
Act. and ! think that recently ne mas
! acted as counsel for the Seamen's Union.
/ combination of an accurate mind anu
progressive human sympathies.
! 1t would be hard to find a man more
| desirable to be in the relation MT.
Sutherland has had to HardinE the role
of adviser in the field of thought and
policy.
! Mr.. Child is even more conspicuous
ly progressive than ex-senator Suther.
land. He was one Of the leaders or the
Progressive movement In lsl2. was one
of the men closest to Mr.; Roosevelt and
| acted as Chairman OF the progressive
party in Massachusetts.
| BY occupation, Mr. Child. Is known
as a writer and editor but that career
' has been 10 quite degree an avocatloii
! with him. He is lawyer and has had
much to do with the construction anu
management of several important en-
cheering enterprises. notably the con-
struction Of the Keokuk dam on the
Mississippi River. II would he difIicult
70 give too surerlattve as estimate OF
Mr. Child's charac;"r and ability.
He has a combination. most unfre-
ouently. found. Of the insight and Ina
, gination of writer. coupled with an
exact mind and cautious, surc-footed
Judgment.
His cioseness to Harding was evidence
ing him and of his personal quality
as well. for no ono with less than an
unusually high level OF character and
taste could have engaged Child's interest
in tho tsGtnn!nE or have sustainsd the
Senator Harding.
The third man who also seemed clos"
to Senator Harding IS Of an entirely
different type He is Harry laughterty
Of Ohio. who has long been one Of the
dominant figures in the Republican poll
tics of that state. In that role he is
pre-eminent. He IS an extremely able
man. Senator Harding's nomination is
due. unquestionahly more to the energy
and political saEacity Of Mr.. Daugherty
/ than to the efforts Of any other one man.
Probably Mr. naugherty does not care
| greatly about matters or policy and
| thought He IS morn concerned with
practical politics. and II may be expected
that IN the watter of the great mass Of
political appointments. and especially
the local appointments in Ohio he will
have a great deal 10, say. He would
porbahly be bored with thr things that
would engross Mr.. Child and Mr.. Suther-
land: and most assurcdly tho latter TWO
wouldn't take any interest in the sort Of
practical politics that would fasrinate
| Mr. Daugherty.
Likely to Counsel with Them
| merely mention the relation these
three men have had 10 Senator Harding
as matter OF past record readily oh
he improper to assume r. M thr'r r",a-
tions with Mr.. Harding dur !" -" cam
pa Ign that he would discuss Cabinet APP
pointmentS with them as IL VIZ" evident
| that he discussed with tEcn hthrr mai
tiers Of equal imnortancA. ON" Of these
mon. Mr.. Child has actually been men
| toned himself IN the nrwSDa ncrs as a
! possible private secretary have no
! knowledge about this. I-nuucStionnblv
on personal grounds II would mean a
very great sacrifice" All this. however
Is speculation and 7 mention IL merely
because 1t has already been in the
papers.
Since It is n mattor Of tho past. there
Is perhaps no mpropriety in making a
guess. after the event. that If Sena tor
Wordsworth of New York and Senator
Smoot of Utah had failed Of reelection
they would have been considered for the
Cabinet. Senator Smoot's exceptional
ability is more widely known than that
of Senator WadSworth. But # a dis
! Interested observer Of the Senate, like
! for example ViCc-Pres!dent Marshall
were asked to name the five or ton most
useful Senators. regardless Of party. he
would undoubtedly include Wadsworth.
Senator wadsworth's Abilities \
Senator Wadsworth has the plain but
yet uncommon quality OF the VIII TO
work He never introduces 4 matter
into the Senate without being prepared
he Is trelessly diligent In the hard
grind of committee work. He is chair
man OF the committee on Military Af-
fairs. and If New York had not reelected
| him his experience and knowledge in
! this line would undoubtedly have sug-
gested him as a Cabinet possibility for
! the War De ment.