San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-03
Coolidge Calm, Deliberate,
Is Extremely Conservative

VIII III OllitG ~ doclcN
him. That is the formal and proper
thug for a Vice President assuming
the presidency to say. 1t is also the
formal and customary thing for every
cabinet officer. every ambassador TO Il
foreign government to place his resig-
nation at the disposal of the incoming
Chief Executive.
Expect Cabinet Changes.
When Vice President Roosevelt sue
ceedCd President Mckinley he an
noInced he would keep the Mckinley
cabinet intact. But inevitable changes
followed then just as they will follow
now.
In way. however, President Hard
ing has had less Of personal cabinet
about him than almost any other
President. Furthermore he has given
greater autonomy to the various gov
crnment departments, greater power
and discretion and authority to the
cabinet chiefs. So that in the main II
may be said that the Harding cabinet
has been more or less of self-act-
ing, self-reliant body than any off
cial family Washington has known in
years.
Two Personal Appointments.
For this reason ii might be easier
than usual for Mr.. Coolidge to retain
the services of the men who have as
sisted Mr.. Harding in the more impor-
tant affairs of government.
There are but two men in the cabi-
net who may be said to be intimatcs of
the former President and whose ap-
pointment was Il personal matter to
him. The first of these, of course. is
Attorney General Daagherty. The
second is Postmaster General New.
Both politically and socially they were
the men closest to Mr.. Harding. Harry
Daugherty was his alter ego. When
ever political blow was aimed at
Harry Daugherty it found a target in
Warren Harding's heart. When Mr..
Harding became President he told
Harry Daugherty he could have any
thing within the power of the chief
executive to bestow, Mr.. Harding
made this offer not in q spirit of re-
payment of favors to Harry Daugherty
but because he believed in Harry
Daugherty; believed him capable OF
filling the highest office in the land
with credit to himself and to the
American people. Both for professions
al and political reasons Mr.. Daugherty
desired 10 be attorney general. Presi-
dent Harding was delighted with his
decision.
Mr.. Harding also desired to have
Harry New in his cabinet from the be-
ginning of his term. He had beer
close to Harry New in the White
House. But Mr.. New declined at first
to serve. He wanted to make the
fight again for the Senate against the
forces that were rising in his own
party against him. Mr.. New saw these
antagonistic forces successful at the
primary, but he also saw them defeated
at the polls the ensuing fall. At the
first following opportunity Mr.. Hard
ing made Harry New his postmaster
general and if Mr.. Harding had lived
TO run again for the presidency, Harry
New would have largely directed his
campaign.
Will Keep Cabinet Intact.
With these two exceptions, however
the Harding cabinet is an imperSonal
one and as Mr.. Coolidge so far as
known here has no intimates of his
own, it is likely he will endeavor to
keep the Harding official family as
nearly intact as possible. 1t is evil
dent no changes are anticipated and
there will be no necessity for calling
an extra session of the Senate to con-
firm a new cabinet.
Secretary of State Hughes has had
under MIR. Harding almost complete
control over the foreign relations of
| the country. No secretary of state
ever has been granted so much conf
dence and power as Mr.. Hughes. II
Mr.. Coolidge is satisfied that this
should go on, Hr. Hughes may be pre-
vailed upon to serve out his term
There has been talk from time to time
| that Andrew Mellon was on the point
of resigning as secretary of the treas
ury. But at no time have these rum
Ors been based on any possible mis-
understanding between Mr.. Mellon and
his chief. Mr.. Mellon has remained
in the treasury because he has found
the work of absorbing interest. Like
Mr.. Hughes he may he content to
serve under President Coolidge if the
autonomy policy in the departments is
to be continued. &C.. ....
Secretary Weeks of the War De-
partment was a close friend of Mr..
Harding but his appointment was not
based on that ground. He has been
given a free hand in the War Depart
ment as Secretary DENLY has in the
Navy Department.
Coolidge Knows Situation.
Herbert Hoover was chosen secre-
tary of commerce because of his espe-
cial fitness and training for the job.
The same is true of Secretary of Agri-
culture Wallace and Secretary of La
Dor Davis. The President had no long
personal acquaintance with any of
them before inviting them into his cab
met. That also applies to DIR. Work,
secretary OF. the interior. He was pro-
NOTED by Mr.. Harding from assistant
postmaster general TO head of the pos
tai service and then was transferred
to the interior portfolio. DIR. Work
won recognition solely by his record
in office.
The cabinet circumstances therefore
are different from most OF those which
have confronted the vice presidents
who have succeeded to the higher Of
flee. There is the further fact that
Mr.. Coolidge has sat with the cabinet
| ever since the beginning of the Hard
ing administration. He has been
thrown as intimately with the ma
jority of the department heads as Mr.
Harding himself.
But first of all President Coolidge Is
in for an extended period of watchfnl
waiting. He will take no steps to-