The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-23
By HUGH w. ROBERTS Washington Bureau The Age-Hernld
 500 Davidson Building

Washington, February 22.-(SpeciaL)- J. As a rule, democrats in Congress inter- viewed this afternoon expressed ap- proval of the cabinet of President-elect Harding, which was completed today by tho designation of Edwin Denby of Michigan to be Secretary of the Navy.
 The consensus of opinion was that it will prove to be good working cabi- net with ex-Senator Weeks, the balance wheel, and Hoover and Denby the source of executive ability. From a political standpoint. however, the idea obtains that the President-elect 'blundered in many vital respects. particularly as con cerns Hoover and Andrew W. Mellon, who will be Secretary of the Treasury.
 EX-DISTILLER
 Regarding the former, both wings of the republican party, as typified by Senator Penrose and Senator Johnson, are up in arms. As concerns MT. Mellon, the Anti-Saloon league is already breath ing defiance and threatening vengeance. As previously stated in this correspond L once, MT. Mellon at one time held the n,,controlling stock of the Overhoit Dis abltilling company and has acquired, it Is suycharged, through his banking operations, of more permits of the withdrawal of liQ- wftaor from warehouses than any other 1n- pecdNidual. Inasmuch as it was certain Hhat Harding would name his personal witIriend, H. M. Daugherty, Attorney Gen. theral. the Anti-Saloon league demand that iaskhe Secretary of the Treasury, to be thecharged with the enforcement of the vesprohibition laws, be a dry" but the pc be titjon's demands and threats have been sefignored.
 hal AS TO SOUTH
 rm 1I That the south was not recognized by ss.sHarding is not disconcerting to demo- ,sesprats who represent the south in Con- sc xreas. It is understood tbAt A. T. Hert r1,,of Kentucky. strongly favored for the p1 portfolio of Secretary of the Navy after Ii Governor Lowdens of Illinois had refused it. is considerably chagrined. Other southerners mentioned. however, appar- ently did not regard their momentary prominence of more significance than IS < attached to conventional compliments and thus they are not disappointed.
 Tt is obvious, of course. that the cabi- net will not be one of "supermen. The republican campaign committed, in se' yerely criticising the cabinet of Presi- dent Wilson, promised, as is recalled that Harding would have men the very mention of who's enames would demand reypectful attention.
 SHREWD IN POLITICS
 In the main. the prospective members have no fame more extensive than the boundaries of their native states, and al least two of them are solely and essential politicians of the shrewd variety. And Denby, for instance, though man oi executive ability. has no greater techni- cal knowledge of ships and their opera lion than has Josephus Daniels. whc more than any other member of the VII non cabinet as been viciously maligned'
 But, as democrats admitted today, the proposed cabinet is as good as the aver age, and will soon demonstrate its value +c the Administration and the country. Senator Underwood. democratic leader, declared that the democrats would offer no opposition during the process of con firmatiom.