Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-26
PRESIDENT SPRINGS
NEW SENSAT|0 n
Appoints cambridge Colby, Who
Left Republican Party In IL
With Roosevelt, as Successor
to Robert Lansing

| Washington. Feb. 2S.-Presdent Wilson
again upset the expectations of official
and political Washington to-day by NAM
ing Bainbridge Colby, New York at
torney, who left the Republican party
with Theodore Roosevelt In 1912 as sec
rotary Of State.
| The selection caused scarcely less of
q sensation than the dismissal of Robert
Lansing from the State portfolio two
weeks ago, and was received with such
undisguised surprise in the Senate, where
the Presidents choice must be approved
before Mr. Colby can take UP the duties
OF office, that none of the leaders cared
to predict when confirmation might be
voted.
Not even among those on the inside of
the administration circles had there been
any expectation that the selection would
fall on Mr.. Colby, who told inuuirers to-
day that he himself had been given only
a very brief notice of the Presidents
intention. Summoned to the White House.
he spent EN- hour with Mr.. Wilson and
announced that he would accept with a
deep appreciation Of the responsibility
imposed upon him, and said he would
have no further comment to make until
the Senate had acted.
| Word of the nomination reach ed sen
ators just as they were assembling for
| the days session and in their private
talks during the day they discussed
little else. Virtually all Of them. how
ever. preferred to withhold public com
ment until the subject came up formal
ly for action.
| Once before the Senate had been call
| ed upon to act on a nomination of Mr..
Colby and then confirmation was vot-
ed although a strong fight against him
| was led by two republican senator's
| from his State. That was in 1917, when
| President Wilson named him to MEM
bership on the shipping board. 1t was
asserted in some quarters that the
reasons which led to objection at that
time need not necessarily apply in the
present case, but Senator Calder Of
New York said he would insist that the
nominees qualifications for the secre-
taryship be looked into carefully be-
fore he would vote for confirmation to
that post.
A native of st. Louis. 81 years old. Mr.
Colby has been engaged in law practice
! in New York since 1892 except for the 10
months he was shipping board member.
During the latter service he was an
American representative in the inter-
allied shipping conference at Paris and
was active in directing the boards war
policy. He resigned in March of last
year, saying that the critical war period
having passed he preferred to return to
private life.
In his New York practice he has been
counsel for several interests investigat-
ing life insurance companies and was
associated with Charles Evans Hughes
in the reform of the Equitable company.
q SPrvod in ,har
Of the New York Assembly.
Actively supporting Theodore Roosevelt
for the republican presidential nomination
in 1872 Mr.. Colby was placed in charge
of the claims of the contested Roosevelt
delegates from various States who event
ually were denied convention seats. He
then became a delegate from New York
to the first convention of the Progressive
party. and in 1914 and 1916 he was the
progressive candidate for senator from
New York. IN the 1916 campaign. however
| he supported President Wilson.
1t was in the course of a house cleaning
in the Shipping Board after the Cocktails
Denman row that the President named
named Mr. Colby for place on the board
In opposing confirmation. Senator's Walls
worth and Calder are understood to have
objected TO the nominees political activi-
tes and to have maintained that he had
insufficient experience in shipping mat
ters to hold such position.
BY 4 majority of one. and with the
deciding vote cast by Senator Hiram
johnson, the nomination eventually was
, reported favorably, The fight was re-
! newad in executive session Of the Senate
but his confrmatio was voted 81 to Ii,
with most Of the republicans except those
of the progressive wing voting against
him. The only democrats to vote against
him, it was understood We're Senators
! Hitchcock and Reed.
To what extent this fight will affect
Mr.. Colby's present nomination did not
develop to-day. The members of the
Presidents official family are by custom
left largely to his own choosing, and in
the paso the Senate seldom has taken a
, hand except in perfunctory way. AT the
same time some senators are urging that
because of the International situation
selection of a secretary Of state should
be given more than ordinary scrutiny
New York FEB. 25.-Bainbridge Colby,
who was appointed secretary of state to-
day by President Wilson said in an inter-
view here to-night that he was thorough
ly in accord with the League OF Nations
and all other of the Presidents Views
of public interest Mr. Colby came TO
| New York city from Washington to be at
the bedside OF his daughter who Is seris
ously ill.,
| my sympathes have been with the
President and his work." said Mr.. Colby.
This surely is clearly indicated by my
appointment. There can be no other in
ference drawn from it.,
Died of Injuries
| Montpelier, Feb A.-The commissioner
of industries has received the report of