New-York tribune., 1921-01-21
Two Candidates
Lead Field for
Hays's Position
Miller, of Minnesota, and
Adams, Of Iowa, Favored
if National Chairman
Accepts Cabinet Place
Fight Still Under Surface
Definite Action Expected if
the Committee Meets Dur.
ing Inauguration Week
BY Carter Field


WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.-With the
practical certainty that Will H. Hays
is going into the Harding Cabinet as
Postmaster General and on the as
sumption that in accepting the port
folio he would resign as chairman of
the Republican National Committee,
Republican leaders are quietly lining
up their forces for this or that candi-
date for the national chairmanship.
The two men most frequently men,
toned for the place here are Clarence
B. Miller, Of Minnesota, now secretary
Of the national committee and for
merly member Of the House from the
Duluth district, and John T. Adams, of
Iowa, vice-chairman Of the national
committee
The fight so far is very much under
the surface, but it is expected to blaze
the National Committee, which is ex-
pected to be held during inauguration
week. There has been no call for a
committee meeting at that time, but
most of the members Of the committee
will be here, and up to the time Of the
limitation by Mr.. Harding on the in
auguaration ceremonies it had been as
sumed that the committee would meet
here at that time.
Despite the curtailment of the in
auguaration plans opinion of some of
the leaders is that the meeting of the
committee will be held anyhow, and
that it will be appropriate at that time
TOR Hays's resignation to be accepted
nd fnr 70 hn o1o al
Discussion Based on Assumption
Discussion of the situation has been
more or less delicate, being based, as
1T is, entirely on an assumed fact-the
appointment of Mr.. Hays as Postmaster
announced by Mr.. Harding or admitted
by Mr.. Hays. This is especially true
in that if Mr.. Hays for any reason at
the last moment should decide against
entering the Cabinet it would be the
desire of all elements of the party, so
far as can be learned here, for him to
remain as national chairman.
But the friends of Mr.. Hays are GER
tain that he is going into the Cabinet,
and most Of them feel that if he does
SO he should retire as national chair
man, and hence the lines are being
drawn and fences patched up with a
There are some who think that he
would merely give up the active work
as national chairman, but still retain
the title during his incumbency in the
Cabinet. They point to the case Of
George B. Cortelyou, who, for two
years after taking the reins at the
Postofice Department, continued to
hold the title of national chairman,
with Harry S. New doing the work
under the title acting chairman. 1t
was not until Cortelyou was moved
oover~into the Treasury Department that
1t was decided, that the proprietes
would not permit him continuing any
connection, however slight, with the
National Committee, and Senator New
was elected national chairman in name
as we'll as fact.
Cortelyou Case Recalled
Those mentioning the case Of Harry
New serving IS acting chairman while
Cortelyou was in the Postofficc De-
partment say that John T. Adams, now
the vice-chairman, could serve in that
way for several years at least, and let
the selection of successor for the
next campaign, or even the Congress
slonal campaign of 1922, drift until a
more opportune occasion.
Adams is an able and popular Re-
publican leader, who was defeated by
viii H. Hays by a narrow margin at
she National Committee meeting near
iy three years ago. There are two
sources OF opposition to the plan for
permitting him to become acting cha ir-
man. One is from some of his friends
who think that he ought to be elected
chairman now without any qualifica-
tions placed on the honor. The other
is from those who still hold against
Adams the letters he wrote about Ger
many before the war, which we're so
friendly to Germany that at a time
when the United States was herself
in the war their mere production by
Senator Calder Of New York turned
the tide and resulted in the election
OF Hays instead of Adams.
Feeling in the committee is not 50
strong now as it was prior to the
armistice. On the contrary, there ars
some members of the committee who
followed Calder in fighting Adams at
that time who now think the whole
thing was an unfortunate episode and
would like to see Adams made chair
man.
Miller's Qualifications \
Those who still oppose Adams are
expected to join the group which is
boosting Clarence Miller for the place.
AS secretary Of the National Commit
tee during the campaign Mr.. Miller
not only demonstrated great ability,
but won a host of warm Sfriends in
addition to those he had acquired pre-
viously, notably by his service in the
House of Representatives. He is a
young man, with lots Of initiative and
energy, and had been singled out for
hard jobs for the party long before he
became secretary to the National Com
mittee. Among other things he was