Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-02
HUGHES FACESHARD
/ TASK IN CABINET.
Senate Foreign Relations Com.
mittee and President to Be
Dominant at First
GOSSIP OF ROW UNF0UNDED
BY CLINTON W. GILBERT

Star Correspondent. Evening Public Ledger
oovvrtoh.. 1871. by PubIio Ledger co.
Washington, Feb. >. - Republicans
~ the Senate have como around to the
view expressed recently by Senator
Penrose, that IL makes little difference
10 them who Is secretary Of state.
Members of the Senate foreign rcla T.
Hons committee say privately that they
viii deal directly with their former col
league, Mr.. Harding. Recent prccc
dents are on their side. And if urdi.
nary diplomacy Is shown by all parties
current predictions OF row with
Hughes ard Of Hughes early promo.
non from the cabinet to the Supreme
bench are likely to prove n empty us
most pre- administration gossip.
All Presidents. "specia y all recent
Presidents, since our foreign relations
have become more important. hny'
tended in all graver questions to
their own secretaries Of state. Pres.
dent Wilson was always his own scrrc.
tary of state in his first admin siration
because political CXigCnrirS forced him
TO appoint az head Of his cabinet n
man in whom no md little confidence.
William J. Bryan. ard lntcr because
the very life Of the nation was involved
IN its relations with tho warrirg Euro.
fVob DONfINs .Nlll IIHNltlrni kOOSN-
vcIt, though he had exceptionally able
secretaries Of state N John Hav and
Elthu Root. always was his own foreign
minister in emergencies.
New Administration Unusual
The ucw administration will hc I'm
usual in that foreign relations were mn
Issue IN the campaign and that tho for
sigu relations committee of the Scnntr
llFQplN fnuIN thnf iGSt, ~.
new President has been a member Of
the foreign relations committee of the
Senate. Thus the knowledge of tine
situation resides rather in the foreign
relations rommttc" and tho President
than in IN" State Department. I'suaIiv
the State Department is tho ono con
tinuous factor in tho situation con
stautly speciali2 nG upon foreign rcla
tions. 4 now secretary " state. though
ordinarily coming g-""u from public ~
private life. speedily po>sr>,"e himself
Of the knowledge and u"li"ics of his
department and is tho dom mating fn-.
tor in foreign rc'atious except when
the President interest, lin self person
ally in tho Gravcr issues
This time tho Situaiiou Is all 70.
v.rsed. Mr.. TIughc> viii cutor Il State
Department very mUch weakened nv tho
administrations Of Bryan and Lansing,
and by President Wilson'S habit NJ ron
dUcting foreign relations out>ilo Of it
through Coloucl House. Morcuvcr,
there is change of administration this
time which viii bring about q .hnrpcr
change Of foreign policies than al any
time in our history. There ar no i'm.
portant continuing roi"ios aud tradi.
tions to be handed down to the coming
secretary Of state. Tho permanent clio.
mcnt in our government which the do
partments furnish will bc LACKING in this
case. Mr.. Hughes will not bc in a po-
sitiop speedily to put himself at the
head OF going concern.
senators Have Advantage
II We have any sprcia liSti this time
on foreign relations, il will not BE- tho
state Department. vita M inpHpCri
-nced chief and little organization. but
the foreign relations committee of tho
Senate. which has hccn working over.
time on foreign relations for >cvcrnl
years. Il j. in the foreign relations
committee that continuity. experience
and knowledge arc found It j. hard TO
ignore knowledge. Usually knowledge
is in tho departments rather than in
congress. which doc not spcciaizr. aud
This is tho advantage which tao CNccl.
tive ordinarily has over Congress. This
time the >itVa'ion j. r"yorscd
At least it will hc 50 M the begin