The Washington herald., 1921-02-27
Harding Confirms Choice
. OF Detroit Man as
Secretary.
CAPITAL PROGRAM
TO BE MAINTAINED
Theodore Roosevelt Chos-
en- for Second Place
-. -
In Department.
ny PHILIP KINGSLEY.


After an hours talk this morning.
President-eIect Harding turned over
the direction Of the United States
navy TO Edwin DENLY. OF Detroit.
as Secretary. and Col. Theodore
Roosevelt as first assistant At the
same time he announced as a gen
eral policy. which was echoed few
minutes later by Mr.. DENLY, that
the capital navy program would be
maintained until an agreement had
been reached on disarmament =
In this appointment Mr.. Harding
has picked as a member of his Of
fetal family a man who~was hither-
to unknown as a national fgrre. hut
who gives promise Of being one Of
the most popular men in the new
government
Good Impre.sIon-
The modesty. unaffected surprise.
poise and dignity with which he
met the biggest stroke of political
fortune that he had imagined ss
possible, won all who came in con-
tact with him.
Mr.. DENLY is a man OF about the
same build as his new chtef-tzli.
heavy, well proportioned- His head
is bald and his features bare. a
marked resembhnce TO those OF Tom
Reed. There is also something OF
the massive, rugged Bryan chin and
nose there. But through IL all shines
a kindliness. He comes to his place
Of power with the background of
experience before the mast" He
has the enlisted mans viewpoint.
This will be seen more and more
as his policies. now frankly un-
thought of. develop a.
Formally Laekf.s.
There was no formsiity about the
little scene in the conference room
this morning. Mr.. Harding and Mr.
DENLY stood shoulder 20 shouIoer
by the open window. They looked
like men to trust.
'Gentlemen." said Mr.. Harding. Il
have nominated Mr.. DENLY to be my
Secretary Of the navy, and he has
accepted. I would like to say also 1
have wanted TO take advantage Of
the services of Theodore Roosevelt
and have asked Mr.. DENLY to accept
him as his first assistant. Mr.. DeRbs
has agreed with me cordially on this
and Mr.. Roosevelt has accepted the
appointment"
Refers 10 Policy. e.
Mr.. DENLY confirmed all this and
said later that he was tremendous
ly pleased to have Col. Roosevelt
fG In IT.
Harding referred to a letter on
naval policy which he had written
to Senator Lodge. He said:
Il have said to several members
OF Senate and House committees on
naval Affairs that IL would be un-
wise to suspend our capital slip
program until we have entered into
some agreement for disarms nent
with other nations"
DENLY. asked for a statement as
to his policies, said that he had
none set.
Il would like to say" he said.
that my conception of the duty Of
Secretary is TO act as navy ndytser
&c the President. the Cabinet ana
Congress; and secondly. and more
important. to maintain whatever
navy Congress gives US at the high
est peak Of power. ready for battle
at an instsnt's notice"
Has Lsve fer Navy.
As TO disarmament. theories OF
building. types. or any Of the more
technical problems. DENLY said Re
~culd have to wait 20 study ard
consult He goes in with a know :
ledge Of navy manufactures ana q
great love for the navy. Ho has as
his assistant an equally unframed
man in this branch, the thirl Roose-
vcit 10 aet In this capacity. II was
Col. Rostevelt's ambition 20 follow
in HIS fathers footsteps % his cx-
J fea;. a. least and the ma:,er was
settled daring his visit At Nation .
f~w ~cei<s ago.
kr. DENLY did not know that ne
was In imminent danger OF being
struck BY this lightning until iast
Thursdny. he said. He has not re-
covered from the surprise and one
% ne nrst rserets he has expressed
was that he wouid have to give M
his present work as chief probat
ofocer from the criminal courts OF
Detroit. Mig. kindly knowing the
wesknesses Of human nature sne
what chords 70 touch. he has sorns-
thing Of ths ''bir brother atfituc.
about him. touch OF svangel Of the
useful lie. So
Has bee. q. DeptA
He has rome down into IN. depth,
with men and has helped them up-
ward As morsle onicsr al Paris
Island during the war. q position
which wa given him after b, has
enlisted - buck private win
the Marines, u wss HE duty to taTk
20 new recruits. telling them Of All
that war meant its horrors and IT'S
sscrlncss. ali that the discipline IN.
volvsd. tn5ectins Into them the
spirit OF the Marines" advise pri-
vstely those who wanted 20 euft.
give courage 70 men TO face desfh.
He was sent abroad on this duty
as observation ofhcer and was un6ss
IRE for = brief time His appoint.
ment. therefore. is a distinct recorl
milton cf the heroic part the Marine
brigsdes played IN Franee. II also
gives the navy direct credit 20 tvs
members OF the American Leei.n.
for Mr.. DENLY wore the leeion hut
TIM On hfR rorf to1nx 80 80