Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-09
CABINET CHANGES,
SWEEPING IN SCOPE,
CONSIDERED LIKELY
Weeks, Work, New, Davis
and Wilbur May Resign
Portfolios Soon.
MELLON AND STONE DUE
TO KEEP PRESENT POSTS
Slemp, John L. Lewis, Butler, Mon
dell and Warren Held Posi-
BILE Appointees.
BY J. SSELL YOUNG.


Although the smoke of battle ha
hardly faded away and March T. wher
Calvin Coolidge will become Presi
dent in his own right is nearly fou
months off, rumors fly thick and fas
as to the personnel of the new cabi
net.
The cabinet makers are hard at it
Speculation is rife on all sides
President Coolidge remains silent
He probably figures that speculat tior
is a harmless pastime. Besides, say
those who know him, the more ant
louder others talk for him the better
he can think for himself
Some Changes Likely.
All agree, however. that there viii
De some new faces in the cabinet o.
the new administration. With tn,
exceptions of Attorney Genera
Stone of New York and Secretary O.
the Navy Wilbur of California, whom
Mr.. Coolidge personally selected. tn,
others of his official family were in
herlted from President sHarding &
Each offered his resignation upor
the death of Mr.. Harding, but thes.
the new President graciously declined
to even read
Although there has been every evi.
dence of harmony between the Presi.
dent and the cabinet members during
the nearly 6 months he has been al
the helm, intimates of Mr.. Coolidge
contend that it is only natural II
assume that he would prefer to pick
his own advisers. 1t is pointed out
in this connection that more than one
member of the present cabinet is not
exactly of the type the President
would be supposed to favor.
Moreover. some members of the
present ca binet have indicated they
wish to retire to private life. John
w. Weeks of Massachusetts, Secre-
tary of War, is among these. Secre-
tary Weeks has not been in the best
of health lately and he is known to
look upon his office as an arduous
one.
Hubert Work of Colorado also, it is
understood, wishes to retire. He was
First Assistant Postmaster General
under Will Hays, and when the latter
resigned Mr.. Work was appointed by
President HOtding to succeed him.
Later, when Albert Is. Fall resigned
as head of the Interior Department
Mr.. Work was given that office, where
he has served since. His wife died
suddenly early last Summer and he
felt the shock very severely.
-FOUR Likely TO stay.
According to officials, party leaders
and friends who have talked with the
President during the past few days,
it is probable that Secretary of State
Hughes, Secretary of the Treasury
Mellon, Attorney General Stone and
possibly Secretary of Commerce
Hoover will be found sitting about
the long mahogany table in the cabi-
net room when the next administra-
ton starts to function.
AS for Postmaster General New,
Secretary of the Navy Wilbur >and
Secretary of Labor Davis, there is
only speculation. Mr.. New is known
to be we'll liked by the President for
his successful administration of the
Post Office Department. But there is
nothing beyond this to determine Mr..
News future connection with the
Coolidge administration. He loves the
smoke of political battle. Ever since
his defeat for the senatorial nomina-
tion in Indiana two years ago he has
yearned for another chance. Some of
his friends say he will want to re-
tire from the cabinet next March to
prepare for another race for the SEN
ate. This would pot him against his
old-time rival, Senator James Wat
son. 1t would be a man-sized task
and New would love it. However the
Postmaster General has made no COM
ment himself.
Lewis for Labor Post.
Secretary of Labor Davis appears
to be virtually forgotten in the cabi-
net rumors. 1t has been said in the
past that he would retire at the end
of the administration to devote his
entire time to fraternaI organization
work. Should he resign, it is said
that John, l.. Lewis, of Indiana, preSi-
dent Of the United Mine Workers,
would be advanced by many as his
successor President Coolidge is
known to hold Mr.. Lewis in very
high esteem. The latter, although
he made no great noise about it, did
much in the Presidents interests dur
ing the past campaign. Friends of
Mr.. Lewis say, however, that he may
not take kindly to the cabinet offer,
since as he has his eye on the presi-
dency of the American Federation Of
Labor.
These cabinet rumors have it that
Secretary Wilbur, who was drafted
to succeed Secretary DENLY from the
Supreme Court of California, is anx-
lous to return to the judiciary.
So much for the rumors about the
faces that are likely to be missing
from the White House cabinet room
after March T.
AS for the holdovers Every one
believes that President Coolidge will
offer his most convincing arguments
to retain Secretary Hughes as the
premier of his administration. One
report which lacks confirmation, is
that Secretary Hughes is the Presi-
dents choice for his successor in 1928
Without attempting to put any
credence in this gossip, it is admitted
in official circles that although. Secre-
tary Hughes relations with the pres
ent administration have been espe-
cially happy and he loves his work,
it will take considerable persuation
to hold him. 1t is no secret that the
State Department head is making a
great personal sacrifice by staying in
public life. He was prospering
greatly when he put aside his prac-
tice to answer the call of President
Harding, and it is reported that he
has a standing offer to join a large
New York law firm, with a guaran-
tee Of $4,000 year.
Another interesting rumor is that
Frank w. Mondell of Wyoming, now
Il member of the War Finance Corpo-
ration, and who was President Cool
idge's personal choice as permanent