Evening star., 1927-08-10

The death of Gen. Wood. which
precipitates upon the President the
problem of finding a successor as gov
crnor general of the Philippines,
comes close on the heels of the res
ignation of Ambassador Sheffield of
Mexico City and Ambassador CroWder
Of Cuba. Thus Mr.. Coolidge has a
triple task. All three posts are or
major importance at all times, and at
the present time are involved with
special factors of difficulty. There is
no dearth of aspirants for these hon.
ors, no scarcity of patronage hunters,
but this merely complicates the prob
lem, The President is seeking men
Of exceptional ability who are In en-
tire accord with his own views at
to policy and who are willing to serve.
He is reported to be having much
trouble IN finding men who answer all
three specifications. Washington does
not expect any announcement or any
of the three appointments until after
the President returns 10 the Capital.
" X X
Mr.. Coolidge has repeatedly attested
his entire approval of the regime OF
Gen. Wood in the Philippines. The
death of the general is not expected
to bring any change in policy toward
the islands nor any substantial alter
alton in our conduct of affairs there.
1t probably will accelerate the adop-
ton of the proposal to remove Philip
pine administration from the jurisdic-
ton of the War Department to the
Interior Department., where control
of Hawaii and Alaska is already vest
ed. Carml A. Thompson, the Presi-
dents special investigator Of the is
lands, in his report strongly recon-
mended such a transfer. Mr.. Coolidge
Is on record as in favor of this change
from military to civil control. A bu-
reau of insular affairs to handle all
our possessions outside territorial
United States is contemplated.
y X X X
The name of Carmi A. Thompson of
| Ohio. who surveyed the islands so
| recently at the Presidents request,
| comes first in most Of the talk of Gen.
Woods successor. But many observ-
| ers are inclined to heavily discount
predictions that the Ohioan will be
offered the post, or that, If offered, he
would accept. Ex-senator James w.
| Wadsworth Of New York Is another in
the prominently mentioned class from
| the fact that he Is so eminently quail
| if1ed for the place. The New Workers.
| friends, however, assert that he Is not
| disposed to relinquish his political
| leadership in New York at the present
| juncture of affairs. Henry l.. Stimson
of New York, Secretary of War in the
Taft administration and Mr.. Coolidge's
recent special envoy to Nicaragua, has
been "suggested' first in connection
with the Cuban ambassadorship, then
as a possible successor to Ambassador
| Sheffield of Mexico City, and now for
the Philippines. In Stimsons case, as
tirely on his willingness to serve. OF
this there Is great uncertainty.
xx X X
Walter Scott Penfield. prominent In
| ternational lawyer of Washington, but
to be credited to Indiana on political
| charts, is very much in the running
for the Cuban amba dorship. A few
weeks ago Penfield looked like a sure
bet, and still rules the favorite. The
friends of Robert p. Bass, former Gov
ernor of New Hampshire and one Of
the Progressives of the Roosevelt Bull
Moose era. have put him forward in
| strenuous fashion for the Cuban post.
The Bass candidacy Is said to have
failed to register heavily with Mr..
Coolidge.
| %
| AS to candidates for the Mexican
post, the political woods are full of
| them. John w. Garrett of Baltimore,
wealthy banker, with a distinguished
record in State Department foreign
missions, Is being strongly pressed
on the President as worthy successor
to Ambassador Sheffield. Despite much
newspaper talk to the contrary. Mr.
Coolidge warmly approved Sheffield s
diplomacy in Mexico City, holds him
in the highest regard and accepted his
resignation with real regret. The
President wants to replace him with d
man equally Strong" Former Gov.
Thomas E. Campbell of Arizona, at
the moment heading the American
commission to the Seville Exposition,
is another potential Ambassador
whose name recurs in current COM
| ment.
| n
The name of William v. Hodges,
treasurer OF the Republican national