Evening star., 1920-06-15
CABINET MEMBERS
NAMED IN ADVANCE,
plan BEFORE c. O.P.
Harding Advisers Building
Campaign on Character
of Men He Would Pick.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


by DAVID LAWRENCE.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, June 15.-Democrats
may be feeling joyful over the choice
OF conservative like Senator Hard
ing for the republican presidential
nomination. but if they imagine the
republicans are going to the country
On the personality of Mr.. Harding
alone they are very much mistaken.
Politicians are still here and man
ayers are already planning. And the
big drive the republicans will make
visers whom Senator Harding will Sc
lect if elected. Everybody who knows
Senator Harding will probably admit
that first of all he is not an impulsive
man nor a decisive individual. Nor
Is there anything in his makeup ap-
preaching the arbitrary. But he does
take advice-and seeks it. too. There
fore the republicans will say to their
democratic critics that whatever Sen
ator Harding may lack in assertive
qualities will be more than made up
by his calm and deliberative consul
tations with the best minds in the
country.
Draws Efficiency Line.
Mr.. Harding is the kind of man
ing republicans according to the
wishes of the campaign committee;
but he will draw the line against in
efficiency. AS between an executive
who happened to work for republican
success, but who also was efficient.
Mr.. Harding would probably choose
the one who had worked for the
party. But the senator from Ohio.
who has been picked by the old guard,
is the type of public servant who is
always conscious of his responsible
ties. He would lay awake nights
worrying about his job. and would
therefore seek to surround himself
with the best men he could get.
There is some talk about novel
way of approaching the American
electorate this year to emphasize the
contrast between what the republic
ans call one-man government on the
part Of President Wilson and cabinet
government by the republican nomi-
nee, If he Is successful. OF course,
the politicians see obstacles in one
plan that is being talked of. but ad-
mittedly it would help the candidate.
Plan to Announce Before Election.
That plan is for Senator Harding to
announce next August or September
the names of the ten men who would
'be members OF his cabinet. This
would give the people a chance to see
who might manage the ten depart
ments of the government. For in the
distribution of executive power the
head Of department frequentiy ex-
ercfses authority actually delegated
by the President. Approval or caR-
met officer is oftentimes final The
new scheme would afford an oppor-
tunity to pass upon the qualifications
of men before election who ordinarily
would be in charge OF the destinies
NP nft a1 l.
ly in the advice they rendered and
the policies they advocated for the
guidance of the new President.
Several leaders who have talked
about the plan admitted that 1t had
merit, though they said in a political
campaign it was difficult to promise
cabinet positions without embarras-
sing the candidate himself. Never
theless 1t Is a fact that candidates
often select their cabinets ahead Of
election time.
This Slate Suggested.
This is one of the states that was
suggested as a means of insuring
success in November:
Secretary of State-Elihu Root or
Philander C. Knox.
Attorney General-Charles Evans
Hughes Of New York.
Secretary of the Treasury-Frank
Vanderlip.
Secretary of War-Leonard Wood or
Lindley NJ. Garrison.
Secretary of Agriculture-Senator
Capper of Kansas.
Secretary of Labor-Senator Kenyon
of Iowa.
Postmaster General-Will Hays Of
Indiana.
Secretary of the Navy-Former Sem
ator Weeks of Massachusetts,.
Secretary of the Interior-Goy. Low
den of Illinois.
Secretary Of Commerce - Herbert
Hoover Of California.
OF course, 1t would be difficult to
get the permission Of men of such
prominence to have their names used
in a campaign that might not be sue
cesful, but all of the ten men are re-
publicans and most Of them will prob
ably be working publicly to help elect
| Senator Harding.
Again and again business men VINO
| have come to Washington have COM
| planned about their treatment In gov
ernment departments. There seems
| to be no way to cure an error In
choosing a cabinet unless public opin-
| ion gets unusually excited. and even
then loyalty to a friend frequently
causes Presidents to hesitate to ask
for designations. Those leaders who
talked Of the plan of nominating a
cabinet in advance said that at least
ii had the merit of telling the public
what they might expect in the ten
different departments Of the executive
| branch of the government.
| Copyright. l920)
/