New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Harding Hears
News Ideas ON
Party Program
Plans to Cut Cost of Govern
ment and Promote Eff
cheney Are Discussed at
Conference in Marion
Patronage Also Figures
DIR. Butler and Senator Reed
Oppose Harvey Suggestion
of Referendum ON War

MARION, Ohio, Dec. 1S-Senato,
Harry S. New Is weekend guest al
the Harding home. and the aspiration.
Of many ambitious individuals who
would be Cabinet officers, ambassador.
OF commissioners are likely to be full
filed or punctuted during the next day
or so. Senator Harding and his In.
diana colleague are close persona
friends, besides which they are bounc
to each other by many exchanges OF
political favors.
In the Presidential campaign Sena-
tor New, as q member OF the speakers
bureau of the Republican National
Committee, played an advisory role sec
ond only to Chairman Will II. Hays
where the broader phases Of the cam
paign were concerned. 1t is now Gena.
ter Harding's turn, and gossip here
persists in giving the Indiana Senator a
place in the .ext Cabinet. If he fills
any post it will be that of Secretary Of
War.
Senator Lodge has expressed his OBJ
lection to Senator New leaving the
Senate to enter the Cabinet. MIR. New
has said very little, but Harry Daugh-
erty is understood to have been quite
as vehement IS Mr. Lodge, but in in
sisting that Senator New ought 20 be
Ii the Cabinet. Mr.. New, since he first
went to Washington, has been more
keeniy interested in the affairs Of the
War Department than in other
branches Of the government. He Is
thoroughly contented in the Senate, but
It is believed unlikely here that Sena-
tor Harding will be contented to have
him remain there.
Washington Talk Resumed
The arrival of Senator New to-day
was his first visit to Marion since the
close Of the campaign, but Senator
Harding and he had an important con-
ference recently IN Washington. In
tsct, the present meeting is continua-
non Of the conference which began in
Washington upon Senator Harding's
return from Panama. when Senator
New gave a dinner attended by Sena-
tors Knox and Lodge, Harry Dougherty
end several other Republican leaders.
More important from many aspects
than the international situation was
he discussion inevitably ield between
Senators Harding and New about the
personnel OF the commission that the
Pres dont-elect plans to have make q
survey OF all the departments Of the
government to recommend changes de-
sisned TO produce increased efficiency
and cconom. 1t is this commission
lat viii be intrusted with the task of
showing the way for Senator Harding
10 fulfill his campaign pledge to re-
,.Gce the cost of government. In his
speeches as a candidate Senator Har-
Sing frequently quoted the late Sem
ctcr Aidrich's remark that American
nis;ness methods, if applied to Amer
. n governm ent, would save the pao-
y ie $500, 900 annually.
/. would be the task Of this commits
SON TO suggest {and these suggestions
s.ould be binding on all cf Mr.. Har-
.ieg's Cabinet where to cut down cx-
'cnditurcs in the War Deparcma ut with
Is present civilian pay roll. and where
% sitter the postal system 50 as to pro
Tide the efficiency that Senator Har-
dine mas promised. Altogether this
e9ia mission will have man-sized job,
@nd the man who has been proposed as
capable engineer for it is Herbert
Hoover, who called on Senator Harding
ast Sunday.
Senator Harding is certain to com
shand Mr.. Hoover's services IN a public
way after March 4, and there Is q
rowing belief that it will be az the
1sad OF this commission.
DR.. Butler Guest at Breakfast
Dr.. Nicholas Murray Butler, of Co.
iumbia University, arrived here to-day
carly enough to have breakfast at the
Harding home with Senator James A.
Reed. OF Missouri, and Mr.. Daughe rty.
Before he departed with Mr.. Daugherty
on his way. to Washington Mr.. Reed ex-
rressed his complete disapproval of
Colonel George Harvey's war refcren-
dam scheme in language as strong AS
any he ever applied to the Wilson
League Of Nations. He said it was inn
POSSIBLE.
Dr.. Butler also failed to agree with
Senator Harding that the referendum
idea is "big." The suggestion that 2
declaration of war be made depende nj
Upon popular referendum" said DR.
Butler, "overlooks both the psyche
Of the crowd and the fact that war is
not an affair Of one nation alone, but
OF two or more nations"
Senator James ". Wadsworth ir, of
New York, and Colonel R. r. McCor-
mick, one Of the editors of The Chicago