Evening star., 1927-10-26
0H|OAN IS OFFERED
commerce BERTH
Walter F. Brown, Active in
G. O. P, Held Choice of Hoo
yer for brakes Post.
BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG.

Walter F. Brown. an attorney. Of
Ioledo. Ohio, and prominently identi-
! H@d with the Republican leadership of
ONO mas been offered the post uf As-
/! SlStant Secretary of Commerce. made
vacant by the recent resignation of ].
W alter Drake.
1t Is understood that the Presidents
| tender of this position to Mr.. Brown
was made upon the recommendation
ot secretary of Commerce Hoover.
! Mr. Brown admitted TODAY that tbis
office had heen rendered him L1t eaid
ne had not Vet accepted. He said he
mad the Presidents permission tn take
the matter under advisement.
Headed Commission.
MI. Brown iS we'll known i'm Wash.
ington. principally for the plan he dre,y
several years ago for the complete re
organization of the executive dapart.
mehts ot the Government. He was at
'hat time chairman of. the joint con-
| @reSSlonai commission directed hy Com.
SreSs 10 make study of denartmcntai
reorganization and to prepare q com.
prehensive plan, having been ap-
pointed at the head of this commission
ty the late President Harding.
IL was while engaged in this work
thdt MT. Brown came in close touch
WIN President Coolidge and Score
tary of Commerce Hoover. both of
whom at the time We're taking a deem
interest i'll the subject OF reorganiZa-
tion. In the drafting of his reor-
SanIzation plan he conferred fire.
quently with Secretary Hoover,
which association is understood IN
nave brought about Mr.. Hoover's
recommendation that Mr.. Brown be
SIHFncSnys IN Mr
Plan Never Adopted.
Although Mr.. Browns reorganiza-
ton plan. despite it's unanimous in
dorsement by the President and
members of his cabinet. was never
adopted by Congress, it is believed
that in the event of his deciding to
become member of the present ad-
ministration by accepting the ap-
pointnient as Mr. brakes successor,
the subject of departmental reorgani-
Zation, which has been dead for the
past two years. may likely be revived.
Mr.. Brown is recognized as one of
the undisputed party leaders in Ohio
and is expected to take a prominent
part in the activities of the Ohio
delegation to the next Republican
convention, but friends of Mr.. Brown
stated today that there is reason to
know that there is no political sig
nificance attached to the offering of
this position to him by President
Coolidge.
If MIR. Brown decides finally not to
accept the Presidents offer to join
his official family, it will not be the
first time this Ohioan has declined at
tractive offers. President Harding
who was a close friend of Mr.. Browns,
nff int n Av1,-
bassador to Japan and later as AS.
sistant Secretary of State, both of
which the latter turned down with the
explanation that he preferred to con.
tinue in private life.
Attorney for 30 Years.
Mr.. Brown is SO years old and
graduate of Harvard Law School. He
has been practicing law in Toledo for
more than 80 years. He was chair
man of the Republican State central
committee in 1912, when he resigned
to become manager for Col Roosevelt.
who was the Progressive" candidate
for President that year. He later re-
turned to the Republican fold and has
since been recognized as the boss"
of Lucas County, Ohio. which COM
prises Toledo, his home town. He was
closely identified with President Hard
ing.'s political fortunes and was his
floor manager at the Chicago conven-
ton, which nominated him for Presi-
dent.
1t was learned at the White House
that Mr.. Browns appointment as AS
sistant Secretary of Commerce is en-.
tirely agreeable to Senators Fess and
Willis of Ohio. 1t is understood that
Mr.. Brown. before making a decision
in the matter wants to confer with
these two Senator'S