Evening star., 1921-02-07
HAMMOND LIKELY
TO GET PORTFOLIO
If Selected for Cabinet Would
Be Credited to District.
Treasury Post Not Closed.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
81. AUGUSTINE, Fla, February T.
Ihere is good reason to believe that
the movement now on foot to make
John Hays Hammond Secretary of
commerce in the Harding cabinet may
succeed. The President-elect serious
ly Is considering the matter and hun
dreds of kilograms have poured in
upon him suggesting the advisability
OF the appointment. There is some
question as to whether Mr. Hammond
would accept cabinet post. but his
friends believe he might be induced
fVSslo so = s=-----S
ifSMr. Hammond should be appointed
ne undoubtedly would be credited to
The District of Columbia-one of the
IeW residents of voteless Washington
ever 10 attain such rank. Mr. Ham
mona, of course. has home in
Gloucester. Mass, and that proba bly
Y ms official place of residence. but
ne spends most of his time in his
paiatiai home in Washington Massa-
cnusetts IS to be honored by the ap-
pointment POM. IT. of John w: Weeks as Sec
etary or War. and so Mr.. Hammond. if
he enters the cabinet, will be record
ed from the District.
some OF the kilograms which urge
the appointment of Mr. Hammond
nave the frankness to say to the
president-elect that the strength the
distinguished mining engineer would
lend to the official family is n most
desirable factor. Mr.. Hammond prob
ably Will be surprised himself to
learn OF the extent of the movement
which is under way in his behalf.
Senator Harding has been casting
anou. ABOUT 1or strong Secretary OF Com
Would Please Europe.
Mr.. Hammonds appointment would
place IN the cabinet man with an
international point of view. With
the elimination of Charles G. Dawes.
who served under Gen. Pershing in
France. it was supposed that the
last man with thorough knowledge
OF Europe had been dropped from
consideration. While it is true Mr.
during the actual period of the war.
he has had a wide and interesting
experience in Europe and South
Africa within recent years, and has
an acquaintanceship among the men
OF power on the other side Of the
water. "hich would be a decided
asset to the Harding administration.
Mr.. Hammond numbers his friends
not alone among the statemen of
Europe, but among the financiers and
business men. There is no doubt
but that his appointment would be
viewed abroad with the greatest sat
isfaction. Europe would like to see
in the Harding cabinet some one it
knows. and some one who knows
Europe through actual contact.
While it would seem offhand that
the selection of Mr.. Hammond as
Secretary OF Commerce would COM
plete the slate for the Harding cab
met, there are surface indications
that the post of Secretary of the
Treasury has. not yet been definitely
decided.
Andrew w. Mellon. the multimil-
!ionaire banker of Pittsburgh un-
doubtedly Is foremost in the mind of
the President at the moment,
but the virtual declination of the
post by Mr.. Dawes has spurred the
friends of Charles Dewey Hilles of
New York to renewed efforts in his
behalf. Not only this, but it has
become known that Mr.. Hilles has
been invited to st. Augustine for a
further conference with Mr.. Harding
and will be here some time this
week.
Will Disregard State Lines.
He will be accompanied by Senator
James w. Wadsworth, jr.. of New
York, who has been an enthusiastic
hacker of Mr.. Hilles for the cabinet
from the start. The fact that Mr..
Hughes, who is to be Secretary Of
State, also comes from New York
is not regarded as bar to the an.
pointemnt Of Mr.. Hilles, for Mr..
Harding has let it be known that
in the search for proper cabinet ma
terial he would disregard state lines
in certain necessary instances. 1t has
been known for a long time that il
Mr.. Harding should go outside of ac-
tual banking circles for Secretary
of the Treasury his choice would un-
questionably be Mr.. Hilles. Prior to
becoming Secretary to President Taft,
Mr.. Hilles was an assistant secretary
of the Treasury under Franklin Mac
Veagh. He knows the Treasury tho
roughly.
He represents today the younger
element in national politics, having
just won his way to the position Of
republican national committeeman for
the state of New York.
One Of the first men to arrive in st.
Augustine to greet the President
elect upon his return was Senator
James E. Watson of Indiana. Sena-
tor Watson had been invited to the
'.best mind" conferences in Marion,
but an attack of illness prevented his