The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-12-30
CABINET AT
ODDS over
Big issues
Happy New Year! But Not
so Much at the White
House
ny W. n. roRrERrTELD


WASHINGTON, Dec. So.-Nery
Happy New Year! iiut Just now. at
This particular moment they do
SAY. things at the White House are
not nearly so blamed happy as they
might be.
And they do say. in the language
Of one wcll.known congressman, that
.this administration Is sitting on a
volcano beside which the isallingcr'
pinchot row OF 10 years ago Was a
cold potato"
Personally, think this Is an cx.
aggerated expression. Yet the simple
facts arc there Is a powerful heap o
trouble brewing IN Mr.. Harilngs Of
fetal family.
To hcgin. Secretary Herbert
Hoover. "the handy man Of the cab
met" is coping off all the fine pub
hcity jobs.
First. he was appointed federal
chairman OF the Colorado rvor com
mission. the biggest construction Joo
given 10 any American since Goethals
was set on the Panama canal. That
Job. with the glory that Viii natur.
ally 30 with Il. rightfuily fell In Sec
rotary Falls department. but Hard
ing evidently concluded, that Fan
wasn't up to II.
Next Herbert copped off the chair
manship OF the Harding Ali'Amsr-
tran League OF Nations an idea
which originated In tho brain OF
Ellhu Root some years ago. but
which was developed by Hoover.
Special annoyance has undoubtedly
been engendered In the interior de
partmcnt because II Is now known
that Mr.. Hoover Is headed straight
from point to point." regardless OF
what may happen to the head Of the
interior department
Moreover. there IS said to be
plenty OF llifceling between Hoover
and Secretary Hughes for two rea.
sons: First, Hoover was appointed
as one OF the chief advisers to the
American Big Four at the armament
conference. and pretty soon he be
Gan coping off some desirable pub
uTity w that 01AteA. NNA f"Nt'
came the Ail.Am.rican league ap.
polntment from the president. Dob
which. OF course. falls properly
within MIR. Hughes purvicw.
So now. Hoover has shown both
the state and Interior departments
that he Il one fair.hairsd lad with
whom they must reckon in future.
Then came the unfortunate White
House contretemps. when the prcsl
dent. speaking informally 10 the
newspaper men. declared that he did
not understand the four power pact
70 include the homeland OF Japan IN
der the head OF "insular possessions
and the apology next morning de
mandea and obtained.
Inundated as everyone was at this
awful spectacle OF the president be
ing required To cat hts own words
at the behest Of group OF his min
isters. the latest reaction 20 this AZ
fair Is one % anger at Hughes for
permitting the chief OF the nation to
be put In such an embarrassing Do
ntion.
Mr.. Hoover Ii not a man Of small
ambition. and the rimors which per
sist in floating around official
Washington all unite In the belief
that IL tne planets are In the right
conjunction. Mr.. Hoover will be a
candidate for the White House oc-
cupancy in 1874. the other rumored
candidates 10 date being Secretary
Hughes and Postmaster General VIII
Hays. who isn't yet officially out Of
the cabinet. altho he Is probably go
ing out
OF course, some cheerful idiot has
started story that Hoover Is going
after Hiram Johnson's toga In Cali
fornia this fall. but never think that
Herbert will do anything 80 foolish.
Nothing. humanity speaking. can beat
Hiram next year. not even II he side
steps the vote on seating OF New
berry and the four-power pact as
well, and he 'might do both. Hiram
Is a great politician. and his official
record Ia pretty blamed good. taking
everything into consideration.
What's the trouble with Hardlng7
1t Is hard 10 say.
But this Is big country and the
Job OF president OF the United States
IL the biggest job In the world and
Mr.. Harding. with all his personal
charm. simply doesn't KNOW what
IL is all about. Ask him his opinion
on any subject and he'll give IL with.
out moments hesitation. ''yes' or
no" but ask him 10 explain or
elucidate and somehow you feel him
floundering or looking for light.