The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-13
SOUTHERN MAN FOR
 CABINET PLANNED
 BY REPUBLICANS
Houston of Tennessee or Fields of Oklahoma Regarded as Harding's Most Likely
 Choice
By HUGR W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau The Age-Herald,
 800 Davidson Building.

Washington. December 12.-(Special) )- It is said to be true that Senator Hard- ing, President-elect, will choose a cabinet. At least dozen southerners are tentatively applying for the position.
 While no observer has attempted to name the one man whom MT. Harding will select, it is safely predicted that the choice will be made from among a single quartet. The favored four are A. T. Hert of Kentucky. c. H. Houston of Tennessee, former Representative More head of North Carolina and John Fields of Oklahoma.
 But for the fact that Kentucky, shortly after electing republican governor, re- turned to the democratic column in the presidential election, it is confidently said in Washington that MT. Hert would have been appointed to the cabinet. There is no question but that Will H. Hays, na- tional committee chairman, expected to win Kentucky. Following the election, however, and the entertainment that whereas Kentucky had defeated Harding but elected a republican to the Senate, Tennessee, where little was expected, had supported Harding, the stock of MT. Hert materially, almost visibly, slumped.
 Naturally Tennessee became the cyno- sure of all eyes. Everyone wanted to know who had broken the 'solid south" And thus MT. Houston, a business man of Chattanooga, forged to the front. There is no question but that Houston did the work. In the beginning of the fight he dispensed with the services of the political" ''pie-hunting' republicans and rallied around him the business men, the substantial men of the republican party in Tennessee. To make his fight, he induced MT. Ways to return to the state,, for use in the state, all funds collected therein for the national ticket and sent to headquarters. This Hays in- tended doing, but he found that money was so badly needed in other and more promising states, one of them Kentucky, that he was unable to make good his promises Nothing daunted, Houston pro- ceeded without assistance to raise the money.
 For his votes, he had the fine nucleus residing in East Tennessee. He adroitE capitalized the nationwide division re- garding the League of Nations, and ta bitterness in the democratic party be- cause of Governor Roberts persistent ac- ton in putting a resolution ratlfyins the nineteenth amendment through the legls- lature, and certifying such ratification to the Secretary of State in Washing ton despite certain question as to the le- gality of such ratification.
 And Tennessee fell into the republican column. MT. Houston stands high in the favor of the President-elect- It is understood that MT. Hays would be de- lighted were he made member Of the cabinet.
 The Oklahoma applicant, MT. Fields, is a practical farmer, and editor of a farm journal The farmers of the west and of certain states of the south are sup porting him In addition he has the sup port, it is understood, of Senator Cap .pes of Kensas. ardent farm advo- cate,'' who himself has been mentioned as a possible selection for Secretary or Agriculture.
 MT. Morehead of North Carolina is re- garded as an able man. He served in the House with credit to himself and his district, and became fast friend of Sem ator Harding.