Evening star., 1921-02-25
LETTER B|G;FACTOR
INHOOVERDEC|S|ON
Coming Commerce Leaders
Words Furnish Answer as
\ to Temperament.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Herbert Hoover's acceptance of the
: portfolio of Secretary Of Commerce
has been on the whole we'll received
in the National Capital. though the
men in Congress who have opposed
him from the start still maintain GER
tain misgivings concerning the selec-
ton.
They do not doubt Mr.. Hoovers
ability, but they question the com
patibility OF his temperament in any
institution like presidential cabinet
where the element of politics plays SO
important a part.
There is, on the other hand. a story
being told at the Capitol of con-
yersation that took place at st. Au-
gustine recently between Mr.. Harding
and Il certain United States senator
who went there to oppose the appoint
ment of Mr.. Hoover. The l'reSluent-
elect defended MIR. Hoover warmly,
and answered the objection concern
ing MIR Hoover's infieXibility by snow
ing his visitor copy of a letter re-
ceIyed from the former food admin
istrator.
Defense of Wallace.
In that communication Mr Hoover
said he had noted the criticisms
which were being made of the pos
sible selection of Henry C. Wallace
for Secretary of Agriculture, and ne
hoped Mr.. Harding would not be dis
suaded from appointing Mr.. wallace
because of that criticism.
Mr.. Hoover went on to say that
during the war he himself had been
severely criticised by Mr.. wallace,
who, as the editor of farm journal,
had a good many things to say about
the food administration. Then Mr..
Hoover in his letter wrote supstah-
italy as follows:
Looking back now over what hap
spened during the war, ] have come
to the conclusion that Mr.. wallace
was right and I was wrong
- The Presideut-elect pointed to that
sentence as evidence that Mr.. Hoover
is broadminded man. and that When
he was wrong he did not hesitate 10
acknowledge it.
The letter is said to have had more
TO do with the determination OF MT
Harding to appoint Hoover than any
thing else.
q Broadly speaking. the opposition 10
Mr.. Hoover cannot be said to have been
mollified by Mr.. Hardings display OF
-confidence in the former food admins
7rator. The truth is the skeptics insist
that their judgment has been confirmed
by the attitude which Mr.. Hoover as,
.zguuaed when the portfolio was rendered
Aim. The critics say it was unwlse Ior
Mr. Hoover TO ask questions ABOUT tne
cabinet portfolio before agreeing 10 ac-
5cept and that It puts Mr.. Harding In
Tho awkward position Of having SUD
Smitted to conditions imposed by MI
Hoover.
8 At bottom, however. the opposition 70
Hoover Is really political and has hs
origin in the fact that the former FOOD
ADMINISTRATOR issued a statement sup
sporting President Wilson'S appeal for the
ra-election Of q democratic Congress.
Politicians rarely forget such things, and
wherever the Hoover statement was 1seo
70 the disadvantage OF members OF Lon
gross in that campaign there is sthi
rambling.
Feared ~ Political Factor.
Naturarv there was another angle
"a he taken into consideration-tha
Mr.. Hoover outside the cabinet might
grow into q potent political factor In
readiness for 1924; that he could play
the role Of critic without sharing the
other hand, the presence Of Mr..
Hoover in the cabinet win make him
part and parcel Of the Harding admin"
siatration, He will stand or fall by the
Harding record 80 long as 3 n ne Is . q
until 1924, then the old political adage
Will be invoked: If Harding has made
good he himself Is entitled to renom-
ination. II he has not made good. no
member OK Ms CABINET ucScINSo AnS
nomination any more than the chief
executive. A*Ssi
On such q line of political reasoning
even the opponents Of Nj. Hoover in
Congress are inclined to accept Mr.
Hardings decision as perhaps best
under the circumstaces.
Now the question is: What will MI:
Hoover do with the Department of
Commerce-and will he make good?
Because Of the. very controversy
60 q "a
prediction that Herbert Hoover will.
from the beginning. be more under
the scrutiny OF congressional eyes
than any other member in the cabinet.