San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-04

of the commission had been
had great facility in this direction. 1
said that it would be very easy to
get a fine man very near at hand.
Grayson asked whom I had in mind.
I replied: Frank Polk, OF
course"
"Just what / told him." Grayson
added.
1 said: @Polk is every inch a gen.
tleman. BE has ability. He knows the
domestic and foreign situations. he
has good judgment. He has a fine
spirit and good sense. He knows Eu-
rope and is well liked. The Treas
ury has many points Of contact with
the State Department and with Polk
at the head of the State Department
1 could cooperate with him easily In
common matters"
URGES POLK.
remarked further that Polk had
great loyalty and courage, and that
if I had a dozen villains attacking
me at the same moment 1 did not
know anybody / would prefer to have
at my side. DR.. Grayson again OBJ
served that the President wanted
somebody who had special facility in
writing. I replied then that would
make another suggestion:
"Let him make Polk Secretary OF
State. Have him send word to Presi-
dent Alderman of the University OF
Virginia to come TO see him. Let him
tell Alderman that as he is sick he
would like to draft him into the State
Department as First Assistant Secre-
tary, with nothing to do but write
/ asserted that Alderman could say
"No" to foreign diplomats in words
which would make them weep in graf
itude for his considerate refusal. 1
added that felt sure that Alderman,
although bis health was not good,
would not refuse in the circum-
stances. Grayson said: II am 60
ing to see the chief before he goes to
sleep and / shall tell him exactly what
you have said."
COLBY Is NAMED. e.
The following morning cambridge
Colby's appointment appeared in the
papers. That afternoon l saw DIR.
Grayson near the treasury. / asked
him what had happened. He replied
that he saw the President and gave
him my message and that the Presi-
dent smiled a grim smile and SAID:
"You and Houston are freight wag-
ons. Why did you not think Of this
yesterday afternoon? 1 have already
acted"
The Lansing correspondence appear.
ed Saturday. In the circumstances
was somewhat surprised that the Pres
ident placed emphasis on Lansing's &C
ton in calling the cabinet meetings,
1t was apparent that there was more
back of the correspondence than ap-
peared.
1 recalled DR.. Grayson's statement
at our first cabinet meeting after the
Presidents illness that the President
was irritated over the report that we
were meeting, and wanted to know b.
whose authority we had met adding
that il he had wanted us TO meet he
would have let us know.
PATHETIC PLIGHT.
A cabinet meeting was held in the
Presidents study in the old cabinet
room in the White House proper on
April 10. This was the first meeting
with the President since August, 1919,
the first meeting since he went on his
western trip. l arrived several min.
utes late. The President was already
seated behind a desk at the far end
OF the room. I noted that / was ush'
cred into his presence by the White
House aide and was announced by him
to the President. This struck me as
singular and l wondered why II was
done.
urko Dros;Jart IooLad old xrorp and