New-York tribune., 1921-02-27
Colonel to Take Another
Step in Political Trail
His Father Followed:
Chief Applauds Idea
Merchant Marine
To Be Promoted
Harding Policy Opposed
to Disarmament Until
After Nations Agree
From, q StoG Correspondent

81. AUGUSTINE, Fla, Feb. 90
One American Legion button will be
worn at the Cabinet conferences of the
incoming Administration. 1t will!
adorn the lapel of Edwin Denby. of
Detroit, who accepted to-day the navy
portfolio rendered by President-elect
Harding. There will be another Amer.
lean Legion emblem in the lapel of Mr.
Denby's assistant, who will be Lieu
tenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt.
In these appointments MIR. Harding
gains advisers sincerely in sympathy
with his own expressed reluctance tc
suspend the capital shipbuilding pro.
gram of the United States.
For Mr.. DENLY to achieve this high
place is something akin to the happy
ending of fairy story, for he once
sailed before the mast in the Ameri-
can Navy. For the son of the late
President Roosevelt it is the continua-
tion of sentimental journey. Young
Roosevelt fought in the last war, win,
ming the rank of lieutenant-colonel
which was his fathers rank when he
charged up San Juan Hill. Returning
from the war, he sought and won cleo
tion to the New York Legislature
where his fathers political career be-
gan. Now he is to go into the Navy
which position his father made pos
S1b1a nauaU'c OF Manila
Took Stump in Kentucky
1t is interesting to note that during
the Harding campaign for election
Colonel Roosevelt straddled mule and
rode through the mountains of Ken.
tucky making speeches on behalf of the
Republican candidate in towns and set.
Elements where his father, also riding
mule, had spoken years before.
Mr.. Harding brought out of his hote
sanctun1 sanctorum just before luncheon
to-day to meet the newspaper CORE.
spondents stranger, a huge man witt
dome-like head bare of hair except
for fringe at the level of his ears
This individual, who smiled happily
was Edwin DENLY.
Il have told Mr.. DENLY that l woulc
like to nominate him for Secretary oil
the Treasury" began Mr.. Harding, anc
MIR. Denby, raising mammoth de.
precatory hand, corrected him, saying:
"Navy, Senator"
II meant Navy" agreed the Presi
dent-elect.
say he will serve if desired. / have
had very earnest WISH out of regard
for sentiment and his ability and ca.
pacity, to appoint Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt jr. Assistant Secretary Of
the Navy. Mr.. DENLY has told me he
is very well pleased with Mr.. Roose.
welt. Colonel Roosevelt has said he is
very happy to serve with Mr.. DENLY
and personally l am delighted with
both of them"
Awaits Disarming Agreement
Mr.. Harding then, in reply to g
question about his navy program, said:
II have said to Congress-or at least
to members of the Naval Affairs
Committee who have asked me con-
corning my position-that l would be
very reluctant to suspend our capital
shipbuilding program until we have en-
tered into an agreement with the world
as to disarmament"
The President-elect declined to make
any further revelations about his Cabi-
net appointments, pointedly refusing
to confirm the appointment of Andrew
w. Mellon to be Secretary of the
Treasury or that of James j. Davis tc
be Secretary of Labor. At the mention
of Herbert c. Hoover's appointment tc
be Secretary Of Commerce Senator
Harding said:
''If there is anything material that
I aspire to it is to establish an Amer
lean merchant marine. There must be
cordial cooperation between the Com.
merce Department and the Shipping
Board" He added that he was giving
great deal of thought to the selection
of the Shipping Board commissioners
After that Mr.. Harding turned his
Secretary of the Navy over to the news.
paper men for q quizzing, first learn,
ing from him that he will go direct
from st. Augustine to Washington to
have a talk with Secretary Daniels
preparatory to taking charge of Amer.
ica's first line of defense. The only
questions parried by Mr.. DENLY in the
CONTINUED page three)
K1oLVose Too Z