Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-02-09
WILL HAYS TO PLAY
DUAL c. 0. P..ROLE
IN HARDING REGIME
National Chairman to Hold
That Post and Serve as
Postmaster-General.
TO OUTLINE CONGRESSIONAL
CAMPAIGN 2 YEARS HENCE
Indiana Leader Is Believed to
Have Yielded to Strong Pres
sure From President-Elect.
ny nonERT J. BENDER,

United News STAFF COrrcspOndcnt
NEW YORK. Feb s.-wilI ii. HAYS
for some months after March 4 next
will occupy the dual roles Of Post
master-General and chairman OF the
Republican National Committee. 1t
has been definitely decided that his
accession to the, head of the Post
Office Department will not bring an
immediate reorganization of tho ma
tional committee.
The reason Is that Hays has been
looked TO for a plot of the course
the party is 20 pursue in preparing
for its congressional campaign of
1922. This, II Is explained by Re
publican leaders, cannot be done
until the new administration has had
an opportunity of actually getting
under way and sufficient time has
elapsed to determine issues. etc,
upon which the party can go before
the people for vote Of confidence
in the 1922 elections. This course, It
is said further, has been agreed to
by Hays.
There is virtually no doubt now
that lays Will be Postmaster Cen
eral. The decision in the matter has
been up to him from election day.
In the meantime. however. two fac
tors have appeared to influence Hays
decision One was n rather deter
mined assault made upon him by ele-
ments within the party who did not
relish his further elevation in party
Tho nj alx.
cial.
1t Is an open secret that Hays did
not wish public office and repeatedly
has stated to Republican leaders,
and to Harding himself--that he felt
he could accomplish more outside the
Cabinet than he could from within.
He also could do vastly moro for HIM
self. for Il is known that a New York
firm rendered Hays proposal which
would guarantee him more In single
year than he could make as u Cabinet
member in four years. When ond
considers that Hays income as n
country lawyer has not made him n
wealthy man and that the expenses
of Cabinet member, are generally
twice per year what he draws from
The government. the question re-
yeals Itself as n rather serious one
to face man of 30 years with d
family.
But Harding has proved insistent
despite the work Of some of the party
leaders. and Hays. who has long
preached the doctrine of unselfsh de-
votion TO the Republican party, would
seem to haye no other course hut to
place his services at the command of
the President elect. This there is
reason to balieve he has done within
tho last forty-cieht hours and there
remains, therefore, virtually no doubt
that Harding will draft the national
chairman for Cabinet servicc That
announcement is expected, along with
the others Harding is SeNpected to
make before many moro days.
AS stated, however, the new honors
for Hays will only add TO his party
burdens for time. Upon his should
ers will! fall the responsibility for
drafting the constructive campaign
program. OF the party for the next
two years. After this has been done
he will resign as chairman OF the
national COMMITTEES, and that work
will be taken up by another as yet
not decided upon.