The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-02-15
.HERT OF KENTUCKY
HAS A LOOK-|N If
LOWDEN REFUSES
Renewed Activities Shown BY
kentuckian's Followers on
News That LoWden to
Back Away From Cabinet

st. Augustine, Fla, February 14-(Spe-
cial. )-If the declination of Gov. Frank
Q. Lowden to serve as Secretary of the
Navy in the Harding cabinet is final,
the decision may open the way for the
President-elect to reward A. T. Hert OF
Kentucky with cabinet post. Ger
tainly If Mr.. Harding is DESTROYS of do
ing something to please Governor Low
den, the appointment of Mr.. Hert would
be most fitting. He was one of the most
active men in advocacy Of Governor
Lowen's nomination at Chicago last
June, but he was also one of the little
group of leaders who decided to swing
the nomination to Mr.. Harding when it
was shown that the fight between Gov
ernor Lowden and Gen Leonard Wood
had reached the stage of deadlock
which could not be resolved in favor ri
either
The announcement by his friends that
Governor Lowden did not feel he was in
a position to accept the tender of a
cabinet portfolio has heartened the adj
vocates of Mr. Hert into renewed activi-
ties. A few days ago the Hert follow
ers virtually had given up hope. Now
they not only have hopes but rather
POSStAtACfiN
specialized on as a cabinet possibility
ever since the election of Mr. Harding.
He took a very prominent part in the
campaign and while he was unable to
deliver Kentucky into the Harding coll
umn as to the presidency. he was able
to point with pride to the election of a
republican.
CHANGES. IDEA
Up to the time Governor Lowden de-
clined the navy portfolio, Mr. Harding
had about decided that it would be inn
possible to reward Mr.. Hort with a cabi-
net position, despite the fact that he de-
sired to do so very much indeed. With
three Of his campaign managers. Messrs.
8nhn W Weeks, Harry Daugherty and
Will Hays, already slated for cabinet
chairs, Mr.. Harding felt that to put
a fourth manager, Mr.. Hert, into the
official family would have subjected him
to criticism on the ground that he was
giving too much consideration to politics
in the construction Of his board of ad-
visory, 1t would appear at the present
moment, however, that il Governor Low
den should request the appointment, Mr..
Hert surely would go in.
The appointment of Mr.. Hert, in the
opinion Of some of Mr. Harding's closer
friends, would compose situation in the
party which has offered suggestion OF
trouble. The friends of Mr.. Hert have
been rather resentful that he should be
passed over in favor OF Will Hays. The
argument has been made that Mr.. Hert
was more entitled to reward than the
peppery little chairman of the national
committee. The Hert people, for some
reason or other. have felt from the start
that Mr.. Hays was q stumbling blocks
in the way Of cabinet preferment for the
There has been more OF q
fight between the Hert and Hays fol-
levers than many members Of the ma
tional committee would care to admit. "A
great deal of bitterness has entered into
the affair and fears have been engen-
dered that some rather nasty scare
might be left if Hays should win out and
Hert should not.
IL Mr. Harding therefore can see MS
way clear now to name Mr.. Hert at the
request Of Governor Lowden, it is be-
lieved the tempest would blow over and
be forgotten before the Harding admin
stration was many months old.
The appointment of Mr.. Hert might APP
pease those friends of the President
slect who are urging him to appoint ~
southern man to the cabinet. Mr. Hert
originally came from Indiana, but has
been q resident Of Kentucky for a great
many years. He is not distinctly
but he represents southern
and a doubtful state.