Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-02
President Wants Formally
to Accept Resignation Be-
fore Announcing Name.
SARGENT is GIVEN MUCH
CREDIT FOR GETTING MAN
Executive Satisfied That New D. C.
Commissioner Is of Caliber
Sought for Position.
BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG.
Stan Correspondent of The Star.

WHITE PINE CAMP. n. 7, Au-
gust 2.-Within the next "a hours
President Coolidge is expected to an
nounce the successor to Frederick A.
Fenning as a member of the Board
of Commissioners of the District Of
Columbia.
1t was learned from an authorita-
tive source here today that the Presi-
dent has finally reached decision in
this matter, and that he will make
public the name of his choice probably
late this afternoon or tomorrow be-
fore noon. Other than TO say the in
dividual picked by the President meas
ures up to the high standard he had
set in making a selection, he gave no
intimation of the identity of the new
Commissioner.
1t was said by an associate of the
President that the latter felt greatly
relieved that he has completed task
that was most trying and difficult, and
that he was glad to be able now TO
put this matter of the District Com
missionership aside and to give his at
tention to other pressing matters.
Details Not Complete.
Some intimation as to the linden
tity of the newarCommissioner would
have been given today, even in ad-
vance of the Presidents formal an
nouncement, but this was prevented
because of several details incident to
completely clearing up the matter
which must be disposed of before any
inkling OF name of Mr.. Jennings sue
cessor is given to the press.
First of ALL the President wants
formally TO accept Mr.. Jennings let
ter of resignation, which was placed
in the hands of Attorney General Sar-
gent at the request of the President
the day before the latter's departure
from Washington for his vacation.
President Coolidge had been advised
when Mr.. Fenning left Washington
more than a week ago for a brief
vacation of the date upon which he
would return, and it was indicated at
the executive Office today that the
President hurried along his decision
so as to have the new Commissioner
appointed and ready to take office be-
fore tomorrow, when Mr.. Fenning
will return.
Wants Choice Approved.
Also the President will probably
await the official approval of his Sc
lection by the Republican State COM
mittee of the District of Columbia be-
fore making his announcement. In
asmuch as this committee. which is
headed by Samuel J. Prescott. has
made no formal recommendations to
the President and has refrained from
formally indorsing any candidate for
the Commissionership it is taken for
granted here that the committee will
Immediately give it's official approval
to the Presidents selection.
Making a decision in this matter
has probably been the most trouble
some business the President has had
before him since coming to his noun
tain camp. 1t was difficult for a num-
Der of reasons. The President more
than once admitted this himself, and
it is only natural for him to give
long sigh of relief now that he need
give it no further concern.
For a time the task looked practi.
cally hopeless because of the dificulty
the President was having in casting
about for the type of individual he
was seeking for this post. Because
of the attacks made upon the Com
missioners by members of Congress
and threats that these assaults are to
be continued in the future the job lost
considerable of its usual attractive
ness TO the citizens of Washington.
OF course, there was the usual run
of perpetual candidates for Commits
sioner.
Candidates Complicated Task.
The same names that invariably
bob UP when there is a vacancy on
the board did not fail to materialize
on this occasion. but 1t is known that
these, instead of being of any assist
ance to the President, only added to
his burden. Being away from Wash
ington. thereby making it impossible
for him personally to see and talk with
those who might be considered avail
able timber for the office, added to
the Presidents difficulties.
Another troublesome feature of the
business of selecting some one meas
uring I'D to the standard he had set
was the fact that any number Of
men who were thought available were
away on vacations and could be
reached only by great difficulty. Also
several so-called big-caliber men. any
one of whom the President would have
been happy to appoint to this place,
were found to be legal residents in
some of the States despite the fact
that they resided in the Capital the
greater part of the year. The law gov.
erning the appointment of a Commis-
sioner requiring the latter to have
been a legal resident of the District
for three years prior to his appoint
ment is known to have added consid-
erably to the Presidents troubles.
He several times intimated that this
law greatly restricted him in coubing
wider field for the type OF man he
wanted.
Has Worked Slowly.
The President has taken his time
and he has made a selection which
he Is satisfied will be entirely satisfac-
tory to the citizens Of the Capital City.
The President said at the beginning
that he wanted a big, broad-visioned
man Of experience In civic affairs and
a trained executive, and II was init
mated at the executive Office today
when the appointment was being dis
cussed that the President has chosen
some one possessed of all the qualifica-
tfons and one in whom he has every
confidence.
1t was stated at the executive Office
that when this individual was first
given an indirect offer from the Prest-
dent, much to the disappointment Of
the President. followed the steps of
others and declined to permit himself
to be seriously considered. Friends Of
the President back in Washingt1n.
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