The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-01-27
TWO ELIGIBLE
FOR HARDING
AS SECRETARY
Newspapermen Take it for
Granted that George Chris
tian Will Be Selected
Richard w. Child in Line.
BOTH BADLY NEEDED
by MARK SULLIVAN

=
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 27.--If
Senator Harding has decided WHO is
to be his private secretary, that decis-
ion remains locked in his own mind.
The probability is he has not made
the decision, although one or two cir
cumstances have pressed the necessity
for an early decision
There is even greater necessity for
early decision on this point and less
reason for deferring decision than in
regard to most of the cabinet offices.
As a matter of fact, several of the
future members of the cabinet already
know they are to be appointed and
are preparing for the change in their
personal affairs. But there is no sign
of any such crystaliZation of intention
as regards the office of private secre-
tary.
Like Christian.
Most of the newspapermen take it
for granted that the present secretary.
George Christian. will be selected, but
evidence of this is lacking to a degree
that has significance. Most of the
newspapermen, and many of Senator
Harding's frien as well, who have
become familiar with Mr. Christian
p relation OF infancy with Senator
Harding.
The last three Presidents, Wilson,
Taft and Roosevelt, all took into the
White House tine same private Secre-
tary who had already served them. In
two of the cases, Tumulty with Will
son, and Loeb with Roosevelt, this
turned out well. In Taft's case the
result was less successful, and two
changes were made before the four
years ended. A President-eIect is us
Ually prone to keep the secretary who
through long attachment, so to speak.
is fingers and thumbs to him.
Child Eligible.
Other THAI Mr.. Christian. the man
most commonly surmised fol- private
secretary is Richard sWashburn Child.
Persons who visited Marion last sum-
mer for any length of time and observ-
cd the relation between Harding and
Child felt confident and still feel con-
fident that Harding will want to have
Child in some position where his abil-
ity will be at the Presidents service
in an intimate way.
For the rather specialized Job of
private secretary, Child would not
seem TO be an especially close fit The
necessities of the ioh would overlaD
on one side and Thild's talents would
overlap on the other.
Child Out Of Place.
The personal acquaintance with poll
ticians, the handshaking and the sift-
ing of visitors, which is n large part
nf a secretarv's job, and which. if we'll
done, contributes much toward an ad-
ministration'S success. in one way
could seem to be not the best use of
talents such as Child has.
Child is LAWYER. journalist. and
novelist. who in the course of his ca
reer has learned to know not merely
America but Europe and Asia as we'll.
His talent and experience were of OBJ
Nious service to Harding in matters of
Judgment and policy last summer. and
would not be less so in the future
Harding really needs both Child and
Christian, if there were any wav to
manage it. A third man who has been
mentioned as possible secretary to
The President, is Howard Warrington
of Ohio.
Copyright 1921 by the New York
Evening Post, Inc)