The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-02-10
RESIGNATION OF MIR.
M'FALL AS CABINET
MEMBER Is RUMORED
Understood That Secretary of
the Interior Will Run for
United States Senator.
HAS EYES ON SEAT
OF SENATOR JONES
Rumored That Break With Presi-
dent Occurred Over Investi-
CATION of Oil Lands.
(BY GEORGE II. MANNiNe)


WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-There is to
be another break from President Hard
ing's cabinet very shortly, it is learned
from a source usually entirely reliable.
,Alber B. FaIl, former senator from
New Mexico, is contemplating resign
ing as secretary of the interior it is
said, and may step out as soon as the
new postmaster general gets settled in
his chair.
Secretary Fall will shortly, 1t is un-
derstood, announce his decision to re-
sign from the cabinet to run for the
senate against Senator Andrieus A.
Jones' democrat, who comes up for
re- election this fall. Mr.. FAN is under
stood to have tired Of life in the cabi-
net and to prefer a place in the senate
which, he now considers, is the "real
life"
But back of all this, it is learned
the real reason for Mr.. Falls decision
to return to the senate is a serious
lack of harmony between he and
President Harding over Alaskan az
fairs and other matters under his
jurisdiction. A campaign for the sem
ate, even should be he unsuccessful,
would solve an embarrassing situation
for Mr.. Fall and the pres. dent.
The first serious break between the
president and Secretary Fall came
about three months after the new adj
ministration took office, when the sec
retary of the interior sent a communi-
catien directly to the senate from his
department upon an investigation of
the oil lands The president took ex-
-
and called down Mr.. Fall, firmly ad-
vising him that matters Of that kind
must be submitted through the white
house. Mr.. Fall, who served several
years in the senate with Mr.. Harding
on an equal footing, did not take at
all kindly to the reprimand and was
with difficulty restrained by friends
of both from quitting right off,"
There have been several minor
breaks between the president .andSsdr.
Fall since then, with nothing to bring
them closer together it is learned,
chiefly over Alaskan affairs with re-
gard to which their opinions diger very
widely. Secretary Fall was particu-
larly opposed to the appointment of
Scott C. Bone to be governor of Alas
ka and has never become reconciled
to 1t. Mr.. Bone was chief of publicity
for the Harding campaign Of 1920. He
was formerly editor of the Washington
Post In 1909 he founded the Wash
ington Herald In 1912 he went to
Washington state and became editor
of one of the principal newspapers of
the northwest. His views on Alaska
are as widely at variance with those
of Secretary Falls as are those of the
president.
Since their ''brealz" over the sending
of the oil communique to the senate,
Mr.. Fall has spent a total of not more
than two weeks in Washington. He
has been on nationwide inspection
for the interior department, it is said
at his office.
His last inspection" was made in
his own state, New Mexico. There,
it is learned, he made very thorough
canvass OF the political situation in
order to weigh his chances of defeat
ing Senator Jones this summer, if he
should resign from the cabinet and
enter the race. Apparently he was
encouraged with his observation be-
cause 1t is now understood by two or
three of his closest friends In the SEN
ate that he has fully decided TO quit
the cabinet and make the race.
Senator Fall was first elected to the
senate by the New Mexico legislature
in March, 1912 He was reelected in
1918 to serve until 1925 but resigned in
March, 1921, TO enter the cabinet as
secretary OF the interior.
Senator Andrieus A. Jones, demo-
crat, came TO the senate first in 1912
also. At the general election Of 1916
he received majority Of about 1000
over his republican opponent. His
term expires this year.