The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-11-10

Wallace of Agriculture.
by, DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1920.
WASHINGTON, Nov 10-Philander
c. Knox. United States senator from
PENNSYLVANIA, will be secretary OF state
in the Harding administration if his
health permits him to accept, the office.
Senator Knox is President-elect Hard
ing's first choice. This and other names
under consideration for the Harding cab
met have come to the writer from men
who discussed the entire cabinet situa-
ton with Senator Harding before the
latter went South
In a general way President-elect Hard
ing feels that he must follow certain
geographical rules in picking his cabinet
Certain states are demanding recognition
and it is probable that certain excellent
men may have to be eliminated simply
because of the embarrassment of select
ing two men from the same state.
Senator Knox is wanted for the port
folio of secretary of state, however, not
because Pennsylvania gave Harding such
an overwhelming majority but because
Mr.. Knox mere than any other man in
the world reflects the wishes and desires
of Senator Harding on foreign policy. An
rTecOnCilable or "bitter-ender" at heart,
Senator Knox voted against the treaty
and reservations of any kind but differed
from his colleagues in the irrecOncilable
group by Offering constructive suggestions
for a concert of nations to enable Amer
lea to play her part in world peace move
mentS.
Mr. Knox was attorney general under
the Taft administration and also secre-
fDv - RI a.
with foreign diplomats and is thoroughly
acquainted with the traditions of Amer
lean foreign policy
Senator Penrose would be especially
pleased over the appointment of Mr..
Knox 1t is q fact that Penrose helped
Ia hold the Pennsylvania delegation at
the Chicago convention in line by using
the name of Knox as dark horse.
Friends of Harding say he has been per-
suaded to believe that PenroSe helped
nominate Harding with the influence of
Knox. Whatever there may be to the
political side of the matter, however. the
fact is Senator Harding thinks Philander
Knox not only knows what he, the pres
ident-elect, would like to see done in for
eign policy, but he is looked upon as the
one man capable of untangling the
treaty situation.
If Mr.. Knox's health does not quite
permit him to take the job. David Jayne
Hill, former ambassador to Germany, or
Charles Evans Hughes, former justice of
the supreme court, may be asked to take
the portfolio. Mr.. Hill is we'll liked for
his views on foreign policy and the only
hesitancy about asking Mr.. Hughes is
that Senator Harding really wants to.
put him on the supreme court again.
The SecretaryShip of the treasury may
be regarded as settled 1t will go to Gov
ernor Frank o. Lowden. of Illinois. who
threw his delegates to Harding at Chi
- l.
Thompson machine which has Just won
a big victory in Illinois. is determined to
fight LOwden and has indirectly served
notice on the preSident-elect that the Sc [
lection of Lowden to any Office in the
cabinet will mean a declaration of war
by the Thompson crowd. 1t will be
noted that Senator Medill Mccormick Il +
staunch friend Of Governor Lowden. /
hustled to Marion on n flying trip the .
morning after election and it was gen
orally supposed in Marion that he 4
Brought Senator Harding tidings of the /
fight in Illinois and urged Senator Hard |
ing to stand pat on the LOwden name +
Thompson people. just what the Nc
COrmick errand was is not known to any
body but the two senators. but the gen
eral impression is it had to do with the
Lowden appointment
Senator Harding likes Lowden and re-
CARDS him as splendid man to handle
the finances of the country. He made a
fine record in Illinois as a business adj
ministratOr. Moreover. he was friendly
to the Harding nomination when votes
were needed. Under the Wilson admin
stration the same tendency arose to rec
)gnize first the men who helped make the
nomination possible at Baltimore They
we're the original Wilson men. Now the
original Harding men viii have much to
say.
That brings us to the department of
Justice. Harry Daugherty. pre-conven-
ion manager for Senator Harding, will
De offered the portfolio of attorney gen
,ral. He will be urged to accept. Some
If his friends say he can't afford it. but
hat Harding will insist. If he doesn't
AXE it, another man prominent in Ohio
politics. whose name is not ready to be