New-York tribune., 1921-01-06
] Packers Urge
Harding
/ Name W al1ace
Appointment as Secretary
of Agriculture Opposed
+. Because He Favors u. S.
'5 Control of Meat Trade
Delegation Comes To-day
Difficulties Over the Labor
Portfolio Continue to
Harrass President Elect
From o stur Correspondent


MARION, Ohio. Jan. 5.--All the pres
sure at the command Of the powerful
meat packing interests Of Chicago is
being exerted against the appointment
Of Henry C. Wallace, Of Iowa, to be
Secretary Of Agriculture. This opposi-
tion Is based on the farm paper pub
lshcr's expressed belief that the pack
ers should be subjected to greater
degree of government control.
Thus far Senator Harding has kept
his own counsel about this opposition
to Mr.. Wallace, but he has never lost
an opportunity to declare that he would
GO into Office free from promises, which
is big point in Mr., Wallace's favor.
Both Herbert Hoover and Senator Ar
thur Capper, of Kansas, are understood
to have recommended the appointment
Of Mr.. Wallace.
!. The packing interests will make a
fresh drive on Mr. Wallace tomorrow
when delegation, understood to rep
resent them, is coming here to urge
Senator Harding to shelve the Iowan.
Labor Problem Still Acute
J The Presdent-elect's trouble with
the portfolio of Agriculture is mild.
however, by comparison with the diff
'culties confronting his selection Of a
Secretary of Labor.
Senator Harding is determined that
none of his Cabinet appointments, and
particularly his selection for the Labor
pc<~, shall lay him open to a renewal
OF the campaign charge that he is a
reactionary. But he certainly will not
appoint a men who opposed his cleo
ton, and the brotherhood chiefs, as
we'll as Samuel Gompers, fought his
election. The railroad men based their
opposition on Senator Harding's sup
port of the Esch- Cummins act Com
his opposition was largely discounted
by that fact. Incidentally, the railroad
brotherh oods' membership disregarded
the advice of their leaders at the polls.
When ". n. Doak, vice-pres sdent of
the Brotherhood Of Railway Train
men, visited Senator Harding here yes
terday he said it would be three years
before the railroad men could deter
mine whether the Esch Cummins bill
would be beneficial or harmful to their
interests. Senator Harding has in
sisted that time would show it was the
finest piece of labor legislation ever
enacted in America. Mr. Doak's ex-
pression regarding it indicates at least
4 less hostile attitude toward it.
Two Labor Chiefs Considered
1t is almost a certainty that in the
Harding Cabinet the Secretary of Labor
will be a union labor man. Two in
dividualS known 10 be under considera-
tion are John L. Lewis, President of
the United Mine Workers, and James
/ O'Connell head of the Metal
Trades division of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor Mr.. O'Connell is
understood here to be member OF
the American Federation of Labor
group that is not in entire sympathy
with Gompels.
The employing interests, however
are by no means neglecting their op-
portunites to get Senator Harding's
ear about this appointment. Their
objections to the tentative list OF
candidates, it is understood, are caus
ing most of the delay in reaching &
decision.