The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-08
STEEL MAN LIKED
FOR LABOR OFFICE
His Record in Dealing With
Workers Believed to Fit
Him for That Post.
ROLE FOUND FOR HOOVER
May Direct Reorganization of
All Departments of National
Government.
ROLE FOUND FOR HOOVER


EN- ROUTE TO MARION WITH SENA-
TOR HARDING, Dec. Only one person
knows whom President-elect Harding
intends to invite to his Cabinet. That
person is Warren G. Harding. Never
has the great pre-inauguration secret
been guarded more shrewdly. For this
strategy there are powerful reasons.
One is that hasty announcement OF
names certainly would stir up trouble
and at the same time would be the
cause of infinite embarrassment TO
some men slated for department heads
and members of the Administration
general staff.
What is known, however and what
can be revealed with propriety and
without violation of Senator Harding's
confidence. is that certain men are
under sideration-indeed. are well
forward in consideration.
Among these, this writer is in
formed. is Charles NJ Schwab, re-
garded by many as the leading. most
interesting figure among the industrial
captains Of America. Schwab for Sec
retary of Labor? Would the an
nouncement make a noise in the
world?
Presumably there would be some
of union labor and some shouts OF
amazement from the public generally.
Doubtless the President-elect is pre-
pared for several reactions Of that sort
in the matter OF his Cabinet choices
and presumably he has weighed well
the pros and cons OF every case. There
ia a good deal OF ground for belief that
he Is studying the past and present
of the Bethlehem steelmaker. not only
from the point OF view that Mr..
Schwab would be an asset In any Cab
met post. but that Mr.. Schwab seems
specially fitted to tackle and solve (if
solution Is possibe) labor and indus
trial problems that form one OF the
monum mental tasks OF the coming Gov
ernment.
schvvab Is Hardins's Type.
Starting from the known fact that he
has Mr.. Schwab's availability and gem
eral competency in mind. II is not un-
reasonable to essume. so Senator Har-
ding's friends seem 20 think. that he
sees in Mr.. Schwabs way Of doing things
force that might be II valuable aid and
asset TO his administration
Herbert Hoover will be the first Of
the conferees to talk TO the President
elect. He Is due IN Marion next Satur-
day. Perhaps II would not be wise to
jump at the conclusion that the coming
of Mr. Hoover means a Cabinet place for
him. There is talk, very quiet as yet,
but nevertheless well Informed talk, that
another job. perhaps more important to
the country and TO coming generations
than any Cabinet place may be reserved
for this genius in organization. Hoover.
Forty times in the course OF his cam
paign for the Presidency Senator Har-
ding pledged himself specifically to
recognize and reform the departments Of
administration--the whole works OF
government. He was ut immense pains
to denounce the wasteful. time squander-
ing morale destroying overlapping Of
departments: the shocking expense
caused to taxpayers by thousands Of
Unnecessary employees. the whole
wretchedly Inefficient outworn machin-
cry. He pledged himself TO take the
departments apart, study the pieces,
throw away the futile sections and put
the remaining valuable parts together
80 the new machinery would function
smoothly, efficiently. intelligently and
economically. That Is a mans size job.
The President can't do II himself Some
body must be found to tackle IL. Who?
Mr.. Hoover. likely. The suggestion. il
Is understood. has been made to Senator
Harding. and he IL said to have received
1t with interest approaching eagerness.
The task would not be done in a day.
II would be Augean stablecleanIng on n
gigantic scale. Two years might not be
sufficien; to see 1t completely done.
Frankly. the suggestion has been
made. and is doubtless receiving consid-
Grafton, that Mr.. Hoover be placed at
the head of special commission TO
departmental government
Men who will be invited 10 enter the
Cabinet will be asked politely but firmly
10 accept without question or complaint
any necessary change in the structure
or functioning of their departments. All
things done. sympathetlcally. harmo-
niously.
Will Gen. Wood be asked to direct
the War Department The opinion
strongly running among men who know
Mr.. Harding best. who seem to think
they know how his mind works, Is that
the best interests OF the new Admins
tration would not be served by placing
Gen. Wood at the head OF the war Of
flee. big as he undoubtedly is why not7
Persons not many miles from SIR. Hard
ing's warmest handsakc believe that
Gen. Wood will never get over his dis
appointment at being rejected at Chi
cago. that, as Cabinet officer, he
never could look at Mr.. Harding With
out feeling he should have been In his
shoes. But that Ia a minor point. Gen.
Wood has enemies or 80 report swings
the country over. political enemies saw
agely arrayed against him enemies In
the military service, whose animoslties
20 back TO the days when Mckinley