The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-20
Resignation of Chief JUS
tice White Rumored, With
Taft in the Offing.
OTHERS MAY STEP DOWN
Next President Now Faces Re-
sponsibility Of Naming Five
to High Tribunal.

Secretary of the Treasury in the Har-
ding Cabinet Charles d. Hilles of New
York has become possibility along with
George M Reynolds and Charles G.
Dawes of Chicago.
Mr.. Hilles comes strongly into consid-
GRAFTON with the visit here to-day of
Senator wadsworth OF New York. When
Senator Wadsworth went over Cabinet
availabilities he took pains to mention
Mr.. Hilles's special fitness for the Treas
ury post 1t is known that the New
Yorker who was private secretary to
President Taft dozen years ago, and
became chairman OF the Republican Ma
tional Committee subsequently, has
strong Eastern backing. His former
chief, William II. Taft, who will be here
on December 20 or December "a, is I'M
derstood 10 be enthusiastically behind
Hilles for the post. Moreover. there Is
a quiet pressure being brought to bear
upon the President-elec from important
financial interests in New York.
Mr.. Hilles is now one of three or four
whose availability is being examined by
the President-elect. Probably the lead
ing possibility as matters stand is Mr..
Reynolds, a banker of Chicago, although
former Comptroller of the Currency
Charles G. Dawes. also Of Chicago, who
uerformed brilliant service in organizing
transportation for Gen. Pershing in
France, is by no means removed from
consideration.
THE coming of Senator wadsworth re-
yived speculation as regards the posi-
bility of Elihu Root being invited to
head the Cabinet for he Is understood
to have counselled that Mr.. Root as Sec
rotary of State would have good reac-
ton in the United States and might nave
a reassurng effect abroad, not only In
Europe but in South America. where Mr.
Root is held in high regard. 1t is under
stood that the President-elect discussed
Mr.. Roots availability with Senator
Harry S. New to-day. Nevertheless, the
feeling that Mr.. Root will not be Invited
Is very strong, and Charles Z. Hughes
seems TO lead in Mr.. Harding's cons!d-
Grafton, with George Sutherland etrong
possibility. Nor is the name OF Philan-
der c. Knox entirely discarded. Until
recently Senator Boies Penrose was
urgently against Mr.. Knox going into
the Cabinet. having in mind that Gov.
Sproul of Pennsylvania, who has waited
with some impatience for the mantle OF
Penrose. would pretty certainly appoint
an anti-Penrose man to fill Mr.. knox's
unexpired term But a week ago last
Tuesday night in the Penrose home in
Philadelphia Gov. Sproul dined and went
through the motions of burying the
Ratchet The story is that Mr.. Sproui
gave Mr.. Penrose his promise that II the
President-elect invited Mr.. Knox to be-
come Secretary of State. and IL Knox
accepted. he, Sproul. would appoint as
Mr. Knox's successor some one who could
he depended upon not to work against
Mr.. Penrose's political interests
Daugherty and Hays Not Out.
The conferences of the last week have
rather added to the belief that both
Harry NJ. Daugherty and Will IL. Hays
will receive invitations to be Attorney
General and Postmaster-Ge General respec-
lively. Senator New spoke good word
for Hays to-day. Outside the fact that
Senator New does not want Cabinet
place for himself. intending to run for
denomination and reelection two years
hence. and possibly sees n potential OPP
.ponent in Hays. is his sincere belief that
Hay Is entitled to first class reward and
would make a competent chief of admin
istration.
The real bones of contention among
Cabinet asplrants and their hackers are
the Secretaryships of Interior and Agri-
culture. The big interests are pressing
hard to get men agreeable to them APP
pointed in each post. This battle is
racing furiously. but silently. Herbert
Hoover, alone is a etorm centre. Des-
perate efforts are being made to con-
vince the President-elect that Mr..
Hoover viii not do for the Cabinet, the
hint being thrown out that he might turn
out to be a friend Of the Interests"
on the other hand. Hoover's battle is
being fought loyalty and earnestly by
men who stand pretty close to Warren
q. Harding. Hoover remains a distinct
possibility for Secretary of the Interior
lie Is the leading possibility. the New
YORK HERALD 10 able to state Mean
time the oil interests. tho interests with
m eye on the rich resources OF Alaska
the interests having concern with timber,
and the interests that see further possi-
bilil!es In 10, the poor Indian. are doing
their level best to see that the next Sec
rotary OF the Interior will be friend
and not foe. Something OF the same
situation exists as regards the Depart
ment OF Agriculture. Opposition 10
Henry Wallace. Iowa publisher and
practical farmer. has developed within
the last tew weeks.
The scramble Is a merry one all
through the list. The South is demand
ing Cabinet recognition, setting UP
three names--Newell Sanders OF Ten
nessee, John G. Morehead of North
Carolina and A. Tobias Hert of Ken
lucky. The whole situation changes day
by day. For example, strong opposition
to John w. Weeks has developed In his
own State--Massachuset There is
moro than a hint that Calvin Coolidge,
ce-President-elect took pains to rec
ommend quite another Cabinet candi-
date from his state. Weeks himself is
complicating matters by a desire to be
Secretary of the Treasury. while Mr..
Harding has considered him both for
Navy and War. more recently for War,
and is understood not to fancy him in
the Treasury post.
Chicago puts forward candidate for
tne post of Secretary OF Commerce in
Albert Lasker, part owner OF the Chi
cago National League Baseball Club,
part owner of Lord & Thomas, and an
active Harding worker at the Chicago
headquarters.
Hardly less interesting is the outlook
for a big change in the complexion Of
the Supreme Court of the United States.
THE New York HERALD Is informed that
Chief Justice White intends soon to doff
his robe and to make way for younger
man; also that the designations of AS