San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATED
MR.. HooVER'S DECISION

One NAV easily imagine that con-
flict between personal preference and pub
lie duty took place in the mind OF Herbert
Hoover when the President profiered
him the Interior portfolio. That the posi-
ton soon to be relinquishcd by Secretary
Albert B. Fall is 4 higher one, politically
than that occupied by the secretary OF
commerce is a fact known to all who are
familiar with the constitutional order of
succession to the presidency Those who
have difficulty in remembering that order
may be aided by a combination of the
initial letters OF the cabinet positions
which looks and sounds like a word
st Wapniacl" If he had accepted the
secretaryship OF the Interior Department,
Mr.. Hoover would have moved up two
rungs OF flames ladder in one Jump.
But the considerations which may have
urged Mr. Hoover, against the sense OF
public duty which prevailed, to accept
the Presidents offer were probably not
political. The work OF the Interior De
partment is such. one NAV we'll think,
as man Of Mr.. Hoover's experience and
apparent nature would prefer He is an
engineer. builder, a conservatonist. Al
though the Department of Commerce
calls for constructive ability. its needs
in that respect arc not so definite as arc
those OF the other position. In the former
too, results achieved would be more per
ccptiblc, and might easily be more lasting
The American people, by and large,
are more intimately interested in the al
fairs coming under the interior Depart
ment,s jurisdiction. To them the ma
tons commercial problems are compare
lively vague, abstract. Moreover, thou
sands OF people in the Western states
were anxious for Mr.. Hoover to take
charge of the great program OF reclama-
ton which it is the function OF the secre-
tary OF the interior to formulate and
direct The nations forests and parks,
vast irrigation and water-powcr projects,
all call for the exercise of abilities such
as Mr.. Hoover seems to possess in I'M
commonly large measure And the West
is his home; he is 4 Californian. The
call that came from the people of that
section must have stimulated Mr.. Hooy-
. cr's sense of loyalty to them.
But he declined the honor that was
ready to be thrust upon him. Why?
The answer is not only highly crcditable
10 Mr.. Hoover; it is one that should COM
. mend itself to all incumbents OF political
office-particularly those who enter upon
their official duties with promise to the
public.
Mr.. Hoover entered the Presidents
. cabinet with the promise that he would
reorganize the Department of Commerce
Z and make of it something worth while.
] He has already done much toward that
end, but his task is yet unfinished and
he does not purpose to abandon it. how
. ever great the temptation Of personal ad-
Nancement may be, until he shall have
Z fulfilled his pledge to render in his pres
ent position the maximum service OF which
he is: capable.
If all public officials were as con-
scientious and unscliish as Secretary
Hoover seems to be, this countrv's GOV
s ernmental. affairs would be administered
far more nearly in accordance with the
3 theory of democracy than thcv actually
are.
s WHERE THEIR MONEY IS MADE