Evening star., 1921-02-11
IN HARDING
CABINET LIST OPEN
SOME NEW DRIVES
Lowden Expected to Refuse
Navy Head Post; Would
Accept Treasury.
DEMAND FROM SOUTH
MAY AFFECT HAMMOND
J. J. Davis, as Head of Moose, Gets
Record Support for Labor Place
in Messages.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla, February IL.
With the Inauguration just three
weeks away, President-elect Harding
still has a number Of cabinet prob
lens to settle. His indecision as to
some posts has led to number of
new drives for and against certain
persons, and at the present moment
it would appear there are four of the
ten cabinet portfolios still in doubt.
These are Secretary of the Treasury,
Secretary of the Navy, Secretary OF
Commerce and Secretary OF LABOR.
Mr.. Harding has men in mind for all
four places, and it seemed week ago
that all these definitely were filled. but
various contingencies have arisen to up
set some of the earlier plans.
Lowden Expected to Decline.
1t is rather positively reported, for
instance, that former Gov. Frank o.
Lowden of Illinois will decline the
secretaryship of the Navy if it is Of
fered to him. There has been doubt
all along as to whether Gov. LoWden
could be induced to accept. Visitors
to st. Augustine, who recently talked
with Gov Lowden. gained the I'M
preston that he would decline. and
this intimation already has been con-
veyed to Mr.. Harding. Gov. Lowden
was under consideration for time as
Secretary of the Treasury, and with
the kaleidoscope changes which are
going on respecting the cabinet he
may yet be offered that position. 1t Is
the general impression here he would
accept.
Mr.. Harding, of course, has Andrew
w. Mellon of Pittsburgh definitely in
cison is not final by any means. and
he still is listening to advice on the
subject Mr.. Mellon has such exten-
sive business and banking interests
him hurriedly to dissociate himself
from all the corporations in which he
has large holdings. II Mr.. Harding
wants Mr.. Mellon in his cabinet 1t
will be necessary for him to commit
himself without delay.
who has been urged by many persons
for the Treasury's chair. and who Is
in St. Augustine at the invitation of
Mr.. Harding. 10 not Q. candidate for
any cabinet position: Mr: Harding has
and valued personal friend. datiHy
back to the days when Mr.. Harding
first was in the Ohio legislature, and
his advice has been sought by the
President-elect on a number of topics.
Mr.. Hilles has Just built up an exten-
sive business in New York city, and
to leave 1t for four years would be
too great a personal sacrifice for him
to make.
Drive in Favor Of Hammond.
For Secretary of Commerce Mr..
Harding had John Hays Hammond of
Washington and Gloucester in mind.
and a particularly strong drive is be-
ing made for the distinguished en-
gineer The President-elect has re-
fused as yet to commit himself on
this position, and If the pressure to
appoint a southern man in the cabinet
becomes SO great that 1t is needed,
Mr.. Hammond, despite the high quail
fications he has for the place. may
have to give way. Mr. Hammond also
leo. and il it should be considered nee
essary for him to give these up in or
der to accept a cabinet post. 1t is vir-
tually certain he would not do SO.
Mr.. Hammond's holdings are in the
Yaqui valley country. on the western
Payne Whitney and several other as
sociates have undertaken an irriga-
tion and reclamation scheme on a
treme endous scale.
1t has been supposed that John J..
would be Secretary of Labor, but it
seems now that this post also is open
to further consideration. More tele-
grams have come to Mr.. Harding urg-
ing the appointment Of Mr.. Davis than
have been received respecting any
something like million Moose in the
United States. and most of the mil
lion seem to have the price Of a tele-
gram.
wallace Considered Certainty.
Efforts to dislodge Henry c. Wal
lace Of Iowa as Secretary of Agri-
culture. apparently are doomed to
failure. The friends of former Sena-
tor Marion Butler of North Carolina
still feel encouraged. however. to
make a fight in his behalf Mr.. Hard
ing knows Mr.. Wallace personally and
has a high regard for him and the
impression is gaining ground that he
is one Of the six certainties in the
cabinet.
senator Phipps of Colorado has
been in st. Augustine playing golf
with Mr.. Harding and urging the ap-
pointment of Clayton c. Dorsey of
Denver as Secretary Of the Interior.
Mr.. Harding met Mr.. Dorsey and un-
ouestionably was impressed by his
Qualifications. but there is every rea-
son to believe the interior post def
nitely has been promised to Senator
Albert Fall of New Mexico, one of
Mr. Harding's intimates and a recent
guest on the houseboat cruise.
The cabinet decisions which appear
nermanent at the moment are:
Hughes, for State; Weeks, for War;
Havs. for Postmaster General; Wal
lace. for Agriculture: Fall. for In
terror, and Daagherty. for Attorney