New-York tribune., 1921-01-13
Seven Cabinet
Posts Believed
TO Be Settled
Hughes, Weeks, Daugherty,
Hert. Hays, Hoover and
Wallace Put on Preferred
List by the Politicians
Treasury Still in Doubt
(,ou,merce and Interior De.
partmenss Held Open
for Consolation Prizes
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12-Aside from,
,ss Treasury portfolio, which may or
NAV not be affected by the terrific
rive being made against Charles G.
Dawes, Republicans here are convinced
That Senator Harding has reached prae-
t:ealIy fnal decisions on all but two
Il his Cabinet places.
The list, according to the best in
formation here. and based on careful
comparing and checking of moro than
i store OF Republican leaders who have
/ cone back from Marion after talks
with Harding and pieced together their
gossip, is as follows:
Secretary OF State: Charles e.
Hughes, of New York.
Secretary OF War: John ". Weeks,
Of Massachusetts,
Secretary of the Navy: A. 7. Hert.
Of Kentucky.
Attorney General: Harry NJ. Daugh-
erty, of Ohio.
Postmaster General: Will n. Hays,
Of Indiana.
Secretary of Labor: Herbert G.
Hoover, of California.
Secretary OF Agriculture, Henry c.
Wallace. Of Iowa.
Two Portfolios Still Open
Two places, the Secretary OF the In
.srior ana the Secretary of Commerce,
are not filed by the Cabinet experts
here, although very different reasons
are given for not filing them. AS to
the Commerce post, it 5 fe.t here taat
Nr rardrg is purposely not discuss
me this place for the reason that it is
bei.s ned as u sort of general utility
portfolio, into which ary man may be
lifted who might be desired in the Cab
met but VINO for some reasons or
other had not oeen assigned to one Of
the other portfolios. 1t is pointed out,
for instance, that most of the men men
sioned for other portfolios, particular
iy Weeks, Hoover, Hert and Hays,
would be we'll qualified for the Com
uerce Department.
This does rot mean that any sort Of
person could make good Secretary
of Commerce. 1t IS recognized here
that the expansion Of foreign trade and
the rapid Transformation Of the United
States into a manufacturing country
open up before this department a
course Of activity which might easily
make it one OF the most important OF
the departments if the right kind Of
nan should be put at the helm. The
point is that few men who would be
Considered for Cabinet positions would
have any special training for this par
tcular place, but that any man of
demonstrated ability, originality and
initiative could develop this division
Of the governments activities.
Conservation Issue Involved
AS to the Interior Department, there
Is clash Of schools of thought and
mental attitudes here which must be
settled by Mr.. Harding before any
serious thought is given to any par
hcular candidate. For some depart
rents it might be possible for the
mind Of Mr. Harding TO weigh first
one man and then another without
any violent change of ideas about
now the department should be con
Quoted. With the Interior Department
aowever, men are at once classified
into one group or the other. One group
believes in the prompt development O.!
al the national resources by private
capital. The other believes in with.
holding the resources, or else permit
ting their development under strictly
drawn government leases. which would
adequately protect the interests of pos
serity.
The men who believe strongly in
conservation, for instance, would like
to see man like James r. Garfield
appointed. Those eager for speedy de-
seloprlenI prefer Western man, who
IS in sympathy with the promoters and
perators, and would look out particu-
srly for the interests OF the Western
Mates Most Western Senator's and
politicians are opposed TO the strict
.enservation school because they want
dsTelopmcnt hurried. This would mean
quickly enlarged taxing powers for
heir own state treasures and a CORE
sponding Tightening OF the burden
placed on their local taxpayers.