Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-22
FINDS MANY LOATH
TO ENTER CABINET
Hoover Learns Senate ''In-
QUESTION" Methods Resented
by Prospective EIigibIeS.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

One of Herbert Hoover's discoveries In
Washington during the past fortnight
was the reluctance of certain desirable
citizens to consider cabinet appoint
nents because they resent inquisition by
the United States Senate. 1t was dis
covery by the President-elect only so far
as some of his visitors were con-
cerned. Mr.. Hoover, himself, after
more than 10 years in Federal office, is
thoroughly familiar with the methods in
question. He was often their victim. In
pre-presidential days Hoover was &C
customed to discuss and deplore these
methods freely. He held the opinion
that Uncle Sam is constantly deprived
of the services of citizens who refuse to
risk their regulations in confirmation
fights and investigations on Capitol Hill
Designed to Embarrass Hoover.
A leading Republican Senator who
saw considerable of Hoover in Washing
ton this month tells the writer that "the
situation is undoubtedly designed to en-
barrass the President-elect seriously in
the makeup of the kind of cabinet
which he would prefer" Hoover is de-
scribed by the Senator as DESTROYS Of
picking 10 executive advisers whose sole
merit is known efficiency for given port
folios. The President-elect Is repre-
scented to be paying relatively little at
tention to purely politico-ge geographical
conditions. He is depicted as having no
fundamental objection to two cabinet
members from the same State-or three,
maybe-if they happen to be the best
men for the jobs
But Mr.. Hoover discerns stern dis
inclination on the part of men who have
built UP regulations in the law, In bank
ing, in other professions, or in business,
to become what some of them call
targets for political gunner" The
confirmation fight over Roy o. West OF
Illinois as Secretary Of the Interior, is
the sort Of thing the President-elect
finds many men positively unwilling to
face, even though their records be as
clean as hounds teeth. They recall
what happened to Charles Beecher War
rem in 1925, when President Coolidge at
tempted to secure Senate confirmation
of the Detroiter's nomination to the
attorney generalship.
Attacks on Mellon Cited.
Dealing with present day cabinet
officers. they are reminded OF the
periodical congressional attacks on Sec
retary of the Treasury Mellon. At this
moment on the mere assumption that
Mr.. Mellon may be re-appointed, GER
tain Senators openly threaten him with
an differentiation fight. The sup
position that Col. William j. Donovan
Of New York, now Assistant Attorney
General, may be invited to become
Hoover's Attorney General has brought
forth very definite intimations that
his confirmation, too, would be stub
bornly opposed in the Senate.
1.-THE United States Senate tasted
blood when it rejected Warren four
years ago." said the member of that
body herein quoted. land my col
leagues undoubtedly have come to like
It. Events since then amply confirm
that impression. If the Hoover cab
met is minus some of the men the
Presidert-elect would like to have in
it, it is my firm confederation GER
tain facts within my nowledge-that
cotemporary Senate habits will be
TO blame. A cabinet post is great
distinction. But sensitive men some
times place pride in their hard-earned
regulations above even such an honor"
Rockefeller Stewart Duel Bobs Up.
AS a not wholly unrelated aspect of
the question, it is interesting to OBJ
serve that the Rockefeller Stewart duel
for control of the Standard Oil Co.
of Indiana Families back into the Sem
ate. A well known Washington woman
Of wealth has on her desk rival proxies
representing 5000 shares. 81 think
Mr.. Rockefeller Is on the right track"
she says, but I do not like the Sen
ate's investigation methods. think I
shall protest against them by giving
my proxy to Col. Stewart"
Copyright, 1920