The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1921-07-15
WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER

WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER
Exclusive to the Pioneer Expressly
With the cards all on the table
the solution of North Dakota's Fed
eral Judgeship tangle now rests
squarely with President Harding.
Farmal recommendations from the two
senators have gone in and since the
state central committee and the bar
associations have protested the ap-
pointment of either of the two men
thus endorsed and perhaps endorsed
a man of their own all interested
parties are now on record and test
of strength should soon be had.
Andrew Miller, of Bismarck, who
is now here on the ground again,
naturally looms up as the most
prominent contender since, with the
backing of Senator McCumber, the
senior senator, and Gunder Olson; the
" states national committeeman, as
well as that of many prominent at
torneys of North Dakota, he is the
man who should logically win "ac-
cording to Hoyle." Seth Richardson,
Fargo lawyer, who has been recon-
mended by Senator Ladd for the
place, and who carries with him the
questionable influence of the Non
Partisan League organization, is CIV
en- but an outside chance by persons
conversant with the situation. How
ever, the possibilities of dark horse
at this stage of the game are con-
sidered exceedingly bright. When the
committee, headed by Judge N. C.
Young and Judge Spaulding, met
with the President and the Attorney
General here recently is was current
about the Capitol that their protests
against the naming of either Miller
or Richardson had had considerable
effect at the White House and, GER
tain it is, that the delegation left the
city more than pleased apparently
with the temper of their official re-
ception.
Whether this committee stood by
the blanket recommendations forward
ed to Washington prior to their COM
ing by the State Bar Association and
the Central committee, or whether
they instead put forward the name of
someone man has not been made pub
lie. If any particular man was singl-
ed out it would appear, from the or
iginal endorsements, at least, that A.
G. Divet, of Fargo, might be the cos
en- one. This conclusion is reached
merely because Mr.. Divet's name
headed the list presented by the CEN
tral committee, as we'll as being in
cluded with the names of Judges
Christensen and Nuessle, both of
whom the Independent faction desire
retained in their present. positions, in
the list of three put forward by the
executive committee of the state bar.
This, Of course, is nothing more than
speculation and nothing of the kind
may have been done but it has been
understood, however, that the men
recommended by the central commit
tee were listed according to their
availability, in which case Divet ap-
pears to be the man for whom pres
sure might be brought to bear in case
the President should wish OF have
the state committee center upon some
one man.
Still beyond this speculation would
seem to no purpose for no one has
much Of a line upon Mr.. Harding's
patronage policies. Few presidents
in the past have seen fit to pass over
the heads of two senator's in making
such appointments even while great
care is usually devoted to the char
acter of men placed upon the federal
bench.
Senator Ladd's influence with the
republican administration is one Of
questionable importance, and certain
high officials have made no bones of
the matter, but this would scarcely
seem to be true in the case of Mr..
McCumber. The latter has served
in the upper chamber of congress for
some twenty odd years, during part
of which time he was colleague of
the present occupant of the White
House. More than this, perhaps.
Senator McCumber is now the rank
ing member upon both the finance
and foreign relations committee, two
committees that will have a consider
able hand in making the present ad-
ministration Of Mr.. Harding either q
success or failure. And he has also