New-York tribune., 1921-02-23
Hoover Talks With Presi-
dent-Elect by Phone;
Inti1nates He VIII An
nounce Decision Soon
Associate Doubts
Ef He Will Accept
Food Man Cannot Afford
to Continue i'm Politics:
Other Plans i'm Making

Herbert Hoover, President Hard;ng's
choice for the post of Secretary of
Commerce in the Harding Cabinet,
said last night at the Metropolitan
Opera House that he had talked earlier
in tho evening with Mr. Harding over
the long distance telephone regarding
| his acceptance OF Cabinet post, but
that he had not decided what action he
would teke.
George Barr Baker, director of the
American Relief Administration and
closely associated with Mr.. Hoover,
issued statement yesterday after
noon in which lie said that Mr.. Hoover
had not been asked to enter the Cab
met.
'It is true" said Mr.. Hoover last
night, "that Senator Harding and /
have had conversation over the tcie-
phone this evening as to MY accept
ing posi- in the Cabinet. Naturally.
these are matters requiring considers
ton, and equally, they are not matters
for IN to discuss now"
1t was learned from those close TO
| Mr. Hoover shat he had talked with
the President-elect for about ffteen
minutes at o'clock. Mr.. Hoover Used
the telephone in the home of a friend.
1t was said that a decision from him
might be expected very shortly
Hoover at Food Benefit
Hlr. Hoover went to the Metropolitan
opera House to attend the gala per-
foTmance of Carmen" given for the
benefit of the child-feedIng fund Of
the European Relief Council, of which
he IS the chairman. He sat in the box
OF j. 2. Morgan. With him were Mrs.
Hoover, Mr.. and Mrs. Ogden Reid, MI.
and Mrs. George Barr Baker and Colo
mel and Mrs. Fl. NJ House.
Mr. Baker, in his statement, said:
Mr.. Hoover has not been asked to
enter the Cabinet of President-elect
Harding. Furthermore, Mr., Hoover
stated some time ago that he had. no
desire for political Office and felt that
he could be of greater public service
outside than inside the Cabinet His
friends are advising him that the De-
partment Of Commerce offers no such
field for constructive work us do the
public institutions with which he is
now associated.
MY. Hoover had honed that as soon
as the funds for child relief were Sc
cured he could turn some Of his atten-
tion toward his own profession of en-
gineering, as he is not rich man, and
does not leel that he can continue in
definitely to give his entire time to
public service. In fact, ! know that he
has had negotiations to this end
Friends Doubted Acceptance
Mr. Hoover's friends said yesterday
afternoon that until he started South
TO see President Harding they would
not believe that he could be prevailed
upon to accept the Department of Com
merce portfolio.
They asserted that Mr.. Hoover would
not accept a Cabinet place until he
knew to a certainty that many of the
archaic methods of the bureau-ridden
Federal government were to be super
seeded by up-to-date business practices
This very point of view, his friends
said, made it rather doubtful that he
would become a Cabinet member, as
the various secretaries were jealous of
encrQachments and changes, even If
they were manifestly for the good of
the service. Mr.. Hoover's friends say
that when they see him on his way to
st. Augustine, or after february %,
when Presidert-elect Har ng departs
for the North, on his way to Washing
ton to see the President, they then will
believe that he will be member of
the Harding Cabinet, and not till then.