The Washington herald., 1921-01-08
President-elect Not Like
ly to Decide Definitely
Until Inaugural Eve.
HUGHES STOCK NOW
IN MIDST OF. SLUMP
David Jayne Hill Looms
AS Probable Secretary
OF State.
By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

Writing to a friend in Washing
ton this week, President -electHard-
ing said: Il think it will be no in
discretion to say in reply to your
note that the choosing of a Cabinet
is very much of a job" The letter
from Marion was not addressed to
a portfolio-seeker. 1t was sent to
a cOmrade who had accompanied
New Year greetings with commits
eraeions on the trials and tribula-
tiOns OF a President-eleCt.
Since I stated in the Washington
Herald a week ago that Mr.. Haru-
ing's mind on the Cabinet still is in
a state of fiux, more of the big Re-
pubIicans he is consulting at Ma
rion have returned to Washington.
Their evidence is unanimous. They
think that the President-elect aC-
tuaIly may not definitely decide on
the makeup of the Cabinet until
the eve Of Inauguration. They pre-
dict that its final composition will
be fixed on the Southern golf links,
where Mr.. Harding plans to escape
the madding thrOng some time be-
tween January Is and March 4. His
process for "harmOnization" is not
yet complete.
Hill Now Looms.
Within the past week there has
been a decided slump as far as
Washington speculations are con-
Cerned, in the stock of Charles Ev-
ans Hughes for the Secretaryship
Of State. David Jayne Hill now
1nnunE
quoted at the Capitol as insisting
upon a red -bleoded" Secretary of
State. whose mind will go along
willingly with the Senate majority
in foreign affairs.
The New York lawyer and former
Supreme Court justice is -Int con-
sidered on Capitol Hill to measure
quite up to that Temperament. Sen
ator Lodge is reputed to have nc
particular enthusiasm for a Hughes
Secretaryship Of State. The chair
man OF the Foreign Relations Com
mittee is said to be partial to Da-
vid Jayne Hill. Mr.. Hughes pro
league" views, as well as his in
herent independence and rugged
ness Of character, are depicted as
qualities that initiate against his
availability" with certain infuen-
tial G. o. p. leaders They liked
his Bridgeport campaign speech as
sailing Article Y of the covenant
and call it the most mastery ar
raignment of that phase of the league
that emanated from any quarter
But they are not so enamored OF
il that Hughes can use it as their
passport into the State Department
1t is an open secret in Washing
ton that the President-elect is hav-
ing an invisible. but nevertheless
real, battle royal over Hughes, whom
he is known to be anxious to have
at his right hand after March 4
But Mr.. Harding's passionate devo-
tion to party government" and anx-
iety to COnciliate all his political
fntimates must not be left out OF
account.
Beck's Name Mentioned.
II, for various reasons, neither
H&shes, Hill, Knox nor Root Is
to be Secretary of State, Washing
ton wiseacTes pick James NJ. Beck
as a compromise candidate Beck
is certain to be taken care Of
He rendered yeoman service to the
Republican party during the past
eight years. He has recently bought
house at the Capital and mani
testify is in mood expectant of q
berth that will enable him to live
in it. Both Hill and Beck are men
.ioned as possible Undsrsecretaries
Of State in case neither obtains the
premiership.
At one time former Senator
George Sutherland. of Utah, was in
the running for the State Depart
ment. He was very close to Mr.
Harding throughout the campaign
and, with George Harvey, advised
necessarily on international ques.
tions. But Sutherland is a native
born EngIishman. and Mr. Hard
ing is hardly likely to appoint as
his minister Of foreign affairs a man
so "tainted.s
Hill Has Backing.
David Jayne Hill has strong
backing. 1t includes George Har.
vey and some of the most impor-
tant Republican influences in Wash
fngton. and ardent supporters in the
business world. Hills conduct of
our potash controversy with Ger
many ten years ago is favorably
recalled now that the Germans
again plan to invade the American
FERTILIZER market. DIR. Hill, though
20. is in vigorous health and is one
of the few professional diplomats
America possesses. He speaks
French and German 1uently. He
has had practical experience of The
Hague international tribunal, which
many persons think is to be the
pivot Of the Harding foreign policy
as far as association" with other
nations is concerned. Mr.. Hard
ing read" HUI industriously dur
ing the campaign. The diplomat
was in conference at Marion II
september. It is felt in WaShing'
tom that no solution Of the pre-
niership question would be more
satisfying to both party men and
the country at large than the ap'
pointment of Hill. He himself ha'
been a regular of regulars in the
G. o. P. organization for many