Evening star., 1921-02-18
MELLON IS CERTAIN
/. OF TREASURY POST
Harding Congratulated Upon
Selection of Pittsburgh's
Rich Banker.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

| ST. AUGUSTINE. Fla. February is
Senator Hardngs decision to appoint
Andrew w Mellon. the multi millionaire
banker of Pittsburgh. as Secretary o.
the Treasury now may be said to be
definite. AS a matter of fact, the situa
tion has progressed to the point where
/ Mr.. Harding is receiving congratulations
upon getting Mr.. Mellon, a man of such
wide affairs. to accept public service
Mr.. Mellon. it Is reported here, has been
negotiating for house in Washington.
Mr. Harding is perfectly aware of the
attacks certain democratic newspapers
have been making upon Mr.. Mellon, bu,
having satisfied himself as to the de-
STABILITY of having Mr.. Mellon in his
official family. he has turned a deaf ear
to the partisan critics. The attacks
upon Mr. Mellon are having no more
effect than those which have been lev
eled against Harry NJ. Daugherty OF
Ohio, who is to be the new Attorney
General. Mr.. Harding may hesitate for
a long time before making Il decision as
to the various cabinet members. but once
he makes up mis- mind it is next to i'm
possible to shake him.
Da:ses Broke First Slate.
Mr.. Harding's nesItancy to commit
himself definitely as to the cabinet
membership is shown by the fact that
in the last four weeks only Two ad
ditional decisions have been made.
one of these was that Senator Albert
Fall of New Mexico should be Secre-
tary of the Interior, and the other is
the selection of Mr.. Mellon for Secre-
tary Of the Treasury. This fact also
shows how completely Senator Hard
ing has put official business behind
him during his Florida vacation.
When the President left
Marion four weeks and more ago five
cabinet positions definitely We're set
tied. These were Charles e. Hughes
for Secretary of State. Harry NJ.
Daugherty for Attorney General. viii
H. Hays for Postmaster General, John
w. Weeks for Secretary OF war and
Henry c. Wallace of Iowa for Secre-
seemed Charles q. Dawes of Chicago
would be appointed Secretary of the
Treasury despite the drive that was
being made for Mr.. Mellon by such
influential men as Senators Knox and
Penrose. Mr. Dawes has since stated
that he would not accept a cabinet
appointment and it is believed here
now that his decision in that respect
is just as final as is that Oh former
Gov. Frank Q. Lowdeu of Illinois,
who has written to Senator Harding
in the friendliest possible manner
asking that he be eliminated from
consideration for any public service
at this time When Gov. Lowden was
at Marion some six weeks ago he de-
clared that his public career was at
an end, but Senator Harding was
among those who believed the former
chief executive of Illinois. and one of
the most formidable candidates for
the republican nomination at Chicago
last June, could be induced to change
his mind.
Three Posts Still Open.
The three cabinet posts which re-
main open for speculation are the
secretaryships of Labor, Commerce
and Navy. The elimination of Mr.
Dawes and Gov. Lowden, both Of IL
linois, would seem to leave the way
open more than ever for the appoint
ment of John j. Davis as Secretary of
Labor. Mr.. Davis generally has been
.Iontinued on Page .. Column j.