Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-08

THE ATLANTA THRIVE
move the suspicion that we are
playing politics"
Backing of Pershing
The president quickly interrupted
me and said: 81 am not at all in
! terested in any squabble or quarrel
between General Pershing and Gen
eral Wood. The only thing l am
interested in is winning this war.
I selected General Pershing for this
task and l intend to back him up
in every recommendation he
makes" When / tried to emphasize
the feeling of dissatisfaction
throughout the country over the
Wood incident, he replied that the
responsibility of winning the war
was upon General Pershing and
himself and not upon the critics
who thought that General Wood
was being badly treated. I then
said: But it is not fair to you to
have it said that by reason Of
some feeling that you may have
against Wood you are keeping him
on this side" The president re-
care a damn for the criticism of
the country. 1t would not be fair
to Pershing If / tried to escape
what appears to be my responsible
ity. I do not intend to embarrass
General Pershing by forcing his
hand. If Pershing does not make
good I will recall him, but it must
not be said that / have failed to
III 81 fyTr.
His attitude toward Wood and
tanned in supporting the genera,
throughout the war The only thing
how quickly and effectively to do
the job and to find the man who
could do it.
William F. McCombs
The election over Q912), the pres
ident-elect proceeded with the selec-
ton of his cabinet, and with that
end in view Immediately began those
conferences with his friends through
out the country in an effort to gath
err together information upon which
to base a final selection. All sorts of
suggestions began to flow into the
executive offices at Trenton. Ten
tative states were prepared for con-
sideration, and the records and an
tecedents of the men whose names
appeared on them were subjected
to searching scrutiny. Every now
and then during this period the
president elect would discuss with
me the various candidates and ask
me to investigate this or that phase
of the character of certain men un-
der consideration.
One day as we We're leaving the
executive offices at Trenton the
governor said: "Tumulty, you have
read Gideon Welles' DIARY of the
Civil War; have you not?" told
him that some months before he
had generously presented me with
those three interesting volumes that
contained a most accurate and COM
prehensive inside view of Mr.. Lin
coins cabinet. "Who," he said, Gin
Welles' discussion of the Lincoln
cabinet, reminds you of William F.
McCombs?" I replied that, in some
respects, William H. Seward, Mr..
Lincoln's secretary of state. Not, of
course, in the bigness of Seward s
mind, for I was not attempting to
make any comparison between the
intellects of the two men, but in
the effort of Seward to dominate
Lincoln and thus creating jealousies
in other members of the cabinet
that were the cause of continual en-
barrassment to Mr.. Lincoln. Mr..
Wilson turned to me and said: "You
are absolutely right, and that is one
reason why I have not seriously
considered the claims Of Mr.. Nc.
Combs for a cabinet post. I am
sure that if I did put him in my
cabinet I should find him interior.
ing with the administration Of the
other departments in the same way
that Seward sought to interfere, for
instance, with the treasury depart
ment under Salmon P. Chase. Nc
Combs is a man of fine intellect, but
he is never satisfied unless he plays
the stellar role, and am afraid he
cannot work in harness with other
men and that I should never get
any real team work from him. There
is another serious objection to Mr..
McCombs for place in my cabinet.
A few days ago he boldly informed
me that he desired to have the post
VI dIlOIllSy SSuSId1. wv uSIl l. dShSu
him why he preferred the attorney
generalship, he informed me, that,
being a lawyer, the attorney gener-
alship would help him professional.
ly after his term of office expired.
What a surprising statement for
any man to make! Why, Tumulty,
many of the scandals of previous
administrations have come about in
this way. Cabinet officers using
their posts to advance their own
personal fortunes. 1t must not be
done in our administration. It
would constitute a grave scandal to
appoint such a man to so high an
office"
Patient With McCombs.
1t has often been charged by Mr..
McCombs' friends that Mr.. Wilson
showed a lack of appreciation of his
services and an utter disregard of
the fine things McCombs did in his
behalf. Those of us who We're on the
inside and witnessed the patience OF
Woodrow Wilson in handling this
most difficult person know how un'
true such statements are. I per,
sonally know that during the trying
days preceding the election most OF
Mr.. Wilson's time was given over
to Strengthening out McCombs and
attempting to satisfy his mind that
neither Mr.. McAdoo, Colonel House
nor any other friends Of Mr.. Wilson
| were seeking to unhorse him and to