Evening star., 1925-01-15
COOLIDGE IGNORES
PATRONAGE SYSTEM
Promotion for Merit Gives
Serious Jolt to "Lead-
erS" of Old
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

No greater jolt has Jared the SEN
abilities of the politicians in post
election days than President Cool
fdge's policy of promotion for merit
In the Federal service. Unnoticed in
the helter-skelter of events at Wash
tnEton, IL Is 4 fact that every impor-
tant new appointment in recent weeks
has elevated some official to higher
rank in his own particular service
The White House has resorted to
the novel program of filing major ex-
ecutive, Judicial and diplomatic posts
In calm disregard OF the patronage
system of old. The number OF United
States Senators and Representatives
who come TO the White House with
patronage requests and leave with
empty hands Is increasing from day
to day. Republicans who rank as ad-
ministration leaders and stalwarts
are among these disappointed oliver
twists. They are. apparently up
against a stone wall of determine
tton to introduce a, new deal. This Is
the true inwardness of current foam
ing and fuming on Capitol Hill and its
lamentations, that Coolidge's biggest
plums are being distributed without
consultation" with the leaders" II
is becoming painfully plain that the
President Is doing his own, leading.
"VEc E tFSt ADVANCED.
The policy to which the White
House seems to have become addict
ed was first manifested when 1t be-
came necessary to find a successor to
Henry c. Wallace as Secretary of Ag-
riculture. Within week the politi-
cal landscape was thickly dotted with
sspirants for that portfolio. More
than dozen, from almost as many
Western farming States, set up their
lightning rods and erected boosting
organizations for themselves in Wash
lngton. President Coolidge cut the
ground from under all of these booms
by ignoring them and Installing Mr.
Wallace'S Assistant Secretary, Howard
NJ. Gore OF West Virginia, as Score
tary OF Agriculture. Undoubtedly but
for the fact that Mr.. Gore is governor
elect of his State. Mr.. Coolidge would
permit him to retain the portfolio in
definitely
The next revelation of the promo
tton-for-merit policy came when Mr..
Justice McKenna left the Supreme
Court the other day. President Cool
fdge, to the complete surprise OF the
court, the cabinet and the country at
large, designated Attorney General
stone as the heir of McKenna's toga
Mr.. stone is the highest law officer of
the Republic. Mr.. Coolidge consid-
to advance him to the supreme tri-
bunal of the land.
Warren Varies Policy.
Charles b Warren's appointment
to the Attorney Generalship is not in
strict conformity with the Coolidge
policy OF promoting officials to higher
places within their own imm ediate
service. But Mr.. Warren has had a
VIDE legal experience as Americas
counsel on International arbitration
tribunals abroad, is the reputed au-
thor of the selective draft law of 1917,
and is finally elevated 10 cabinet
rank after successful terms as Amer
lean AmbaSSa dor to Japan and Mex
icO. The White House considers that
Warren like Stone, has been pro
NOTED in the Federal service.
Then came Mr.. Hughes resignation.
The pre- emiership of the cabinet since
time immemorial has gone TO some
outstanding member Of the party of
which the President is the titular
head. The Secre taryship of State. in
other words, always has ranked as
the richest political plum at the Chief
Magistrates disposal. President Cool
tdge flew straight in the face Of al
partisan traditions and practices and
promoted to the foreign ministership
the occupant of our chief foreign
diplomatic station. the American Am
bassador TO Great Britain.
With Mr. kellogg's departure from
the blue-ribbon ambassadorial post,
President Coolidge look ed about for
the man within the diplomatic serv-
Ice whom he consid cred best fitted for
promotion. His eye fell upon Alanson
B. Houghton of New York. now Amer
lean Ambassador to Germany The
confident expectation is that. In pur-
suance of the policy typiffed by the
Kellogg and Houghton appointments
Ambassador Fletcher of Rome Will be
promoted to Berlin and Ambassador
Phillips OF Brussels promoted TO
Rome.
IT may be that Joseph c. Grew,
undersecretary OF state, will be given
one of the European ambassadorships
that must eventually result from
these interservice promotions. That
would be carrying out the Coolidge
policy, for ME- Grew is one Of Ameri-
cas- few long-service career" men.
He became undersecretary of state by
President Coolidge's appointment
after having served az Minister in
Switzerland and Denmark.
GiIIett Another Example.
Mr.. Coolidge. unobserved for the
most part, manifested his fealty TO
the promotion-for- merit idea in the
case OF Speaker Gillett's successful
candidacy for the United States SEN
atoriaI nomination In Massachusetts
last wear The full influence of the