Evening star., 1920-02-26
Of TWO
PR0GRESS|VESMAy
HELP HOOvERBOOM
President Believed to Have
|naugurated Fight for
Independent Vote.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Wilson doesn't intend to
exc out the remaining twelve months
of his term in monotonous reverence
for party tradition or the comforts Of
avoiding Quarrels and controversies
troll Congress.
The appointment of Bainbridge
Colby as Secretary of State has
started a heavy flow of gossip and
cloakroom threats that may define
whether or not the Senate has any
real control over the kind of cabinet
officers a President may select to
manage the big departments Of the
government. Plainly. there are DEM
ocrats as we'll as republicans in the
Senate who do not like the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Colby. but if anything
aggressive is done. it will naturally
be by the republicans.
The ground on which to base OBJ
jections to Mr.. Colby's confirmation is
difficult to find this political year.
Were Senate republicans to say Mr..
Colby has been too anti-British they
would find their newly acquired Irish
supporters looking askance at them.
Were Senate republicans to argue
the job or unsuited temperamentally
'or the post they lay themselves open
10 attack by democrats. who might
say the republican conservatives are
so conservative that they wouldn't
even vote for the confirmation Of a
progre ssive. republican.
In the end Mr.. Colby will be con-
firmed. but it wouldn't be surprising
TO find resolution adopted express
ing the Senate'S opinion Of the
choice.
Cabinet Responsibility.
There are senators. on the other
hand, who think it is about time to
stop confirming cabinet officers as a
matter of courtesy and TO make in
quiry into their qualifications. They
contend that cabinet responsibility
will never be emphasized until Con-
gress establishes % hes SuopiSss precedent that
much regard to the advice" of the
Senate on a cabinet appointment as
any other selection that requires con-
firmation by the Senate. Mr.. Wilson
has on more than one occasion held
back from appointing men who might
not be confirmed by the Senate. and
has in one conspicuous case-that of
Thomas d. Jones' of chicago-with-
drawn a nomination for chairmanship
of the Federal Reserve Board
The Colby appointment, however. is
not merely a personal choice but il
rouses the political ire of Mr.. Wilson's
opponents on Capitol Hill. who incl
dentally have been feeling none too
pleased over the selection OF, Cha rles
K. Crane to be minister toyChina, a
post for which he started only to be
called back home by Philander c.
Knox. then Secretary of State. and
now an active foe of the President in
connection with the treaty fight.
Speaking of political repartee, the
nomination of Mr.. Crane is hardly
palatable to republicans Mr.. Crane.
however, has his revenge He bolted
the republican party after that Incl
dent and supported first La Toilette
and then Woodrow Wilson, contribut-
ing TO the campaigns of both men in
the hope that either might win a
party nomination on progressive plat
forms.
When La Toilette failed to Win. Mr..
Crane threw his support to Mr. Will
son and contributed heavily to the
1912 campaign funds. He could have
been ambassador to any post in Eu-
rope. He declined to accept any such
lob His readiness to take a diplo-
matte position Of lower grade-minis-
ter to China-is therefore viewed as
having some relation to his earlier
choice for the post under the Taft
administration.
VIII Seek ProEressives.
But the naming of two progressive
republicans-Crane and Colby-means
something else. So far as Woodrow
Wilson is concerned. he isn't going to
| stick blindly to his party any more
He will reach out for men of the pro-
gressive type in either party. That
! in itself has raised the question of q
/ possible support by the White House
! Tor the Hoover candidacy. In Georgia
| th. other day they declined to let Mr.
! Hooyer's name go on the ballot be-
| cause they didn't know whether or
not he was u democrat. and they
! naused to send the former food ad-
| ministrator a letter of inquiry. But
if President Wilson can take into the
bosom of his official family a progress
siye republican of 1912. the democrats
W no are concerned with a mans pres
"nt and not past beliefs or afhliations