The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-06-23
WHO IS TO Be
CHIEF JUSTICE?
PRESIDENT HARDlNG'S CHOICE
is MATTER OF SPECULATION
IN WASHINGTON.
PROMOTION IS NOT LIKELY
William H. Taft, Charles e. Hughes
and George Sutherland Are the Men
Most Frequently Mentioned for the
HiQh Place.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

BY EDWARD B. CLARK.
Observation-Disclosures interest,
or part Of 1t at least centers today
on the vacancy in the seat Of chief
justice Of the United States Supreme
court. Whom Is President Harding to
appoint to take the vacant chair?
Inasmuch as the present administra-
ton is Republican, it seems to be
taken for granted that q Republican
will be given the high place. OF
course it is always possible that a
President may promote one Of the as
sociate justices and then I'LL the as.
sociate's seat with new appointment.
President Taft did this in his day. II
President Harding should follow suit,
of course, it is within the range of
possibilities that he might promote
an associate justice who Is a Demo
crat to the chief justiceship, and then
appoint Republican-a as associate jas-
tice.
Circumstances make 1t appear to-day
that the President does not intend to
do this, but will give the vacancy to
some one from outside the court. The
reasons for this thought are pIaIn. The
desire is always in the appointment Of
chief justice to give the place to
some man who is vigorous and who
has presumably long lease Of bench
life ahead of him. If President Har-
ding should appoint an associate JUS
tice to the chief place he either would
be compelled to take an elderly man
Of long service, or a younger man Of
comparatively short service and pro-
mote him over the heads of his seniors
on the bench.
Three Prominently Mentioned.
The names most frequently men,
toned for appointment to the chief
justiceship are those Of former Presi-
dent Of the United States William Fl,
Taft, Secretary of State Charles e.
Hughes, and former United States
Senator George Sutherland of Utah.
| Men whose position in the Repub.
lican party make it seem fairly Ger.
tain that they know the inclinations
of the President say that II Mr..
Hughes had not been appointed secre'
tary of state ne could be certain to-
day that the chief place on the bench
awaits him. 1t will be remembered
that Hughes resigned from the Su
preme court in order to accept the
Republican nomination for President
In 1915. It always has been believed
that Mr.. Hughes would like to return
to the bench, but just now he has
high and heavy job on his hands, ant
he may feel as it Is believed the Pres
ident feels, that he should stay to fin
ish ii.
I Years ago Theodore Roosevelt of
cred to put William H. Taft on the
Supreme bench of the United States
At that time Taft had Philippine
! task on his hands which he desired t
finish. If he had taken the place OF
the bench which President Roosevelt
offered him the subsequent history o
the Republican party might have beel
4 different. There might have been NJ
Bull Moose party and no rupture 0
Republicanism.
Many Changes In Twenty Years.
There have been many changes II
the personnel of the United State
Supreme court within the last 2
years. President Roosevelt appointe
William Henry Moody Of Massachu
setts, who had been in the cabinet q
attorney general. Justice MOODY hsi