Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-27
Politics at Large
By C. Could Lincoln.

As soon as President Hoover COM
pletes his message to Congress, dealing
with the state of the Union" 1t Is ex-
pected he will turn his attention seri-
ouSly to the selection of Secretary Of
War. The late Secretary Good died
November H. Under the law the posi-
ton must be filled within thirty days
from the time it becomes vacant. AL
ready a number of "possibilities" for the
position have been discussed. At the
White House it is said that the Presi-
dent. himself, however, has not yet
made a decision in the matter. The
suggestion has been made in some quar-
tiers that Patrick J. Hurley, the present
Assistant Secretary of War, may be adj
vanced to head the department and an
other named to fill the assistants once.
Further suggestions have dealt with
possible shifts in the makeup Of the
cabinet itself. to I'LL the vacancy. One
Of these would send Postmaster General
Walter F. Brown to the War Depart
ment and substitute for Brown Walter
Minnesota, who Is now one Of President
Hoover's secretaries. Another would
shift Arthur M. Hyde, Secretary of Ag--
riculture. to the post of Secretary OF
War, leaving a vacancy in the Depart
ment of Agriculture. The theory on
which this latest runor is built Is that
Mr.. Hyde feels that the new Federal
Farm Board, with Alexander Legge as
chairman, has rather showed the Secre-
tary of Agriculture out of the picture.
* %x
Or. Hubert Work, who has been out
in Colorado since he gave up the
craftsmanship Of the Republican ma
tional committee to Claudius Huston
of Tennessee. Is now in washington.
Some of his friends say that DR.. Work
might not be averse to accepting the
ONCE Of Secretary Of War II 1t were
rendered him, on the theory that he
Is already firing of the leisure which
he sought when he relinquiShed the
embarrassing of the Republican ma
tional committee. DR.. Work has IN
the past been Postmaster General and
Secretary of the Interior. He could
have been q member of the Hoover
cabinet II ne had so desired, IL Is COM
monty reported, or could have been
appointed to an important diplomatic
post. But DR.. Work was not willing
TO accept further public once at the
time Since he has been in Washing
ton Dr. Work has been q guest Of the
President at the White House foA
luncheon. III
The name of former Senator James
w. Wadsworth of New York has been
put forward in some quarters, too, as
q possible appointee to the job OF
Secretary of War. No one better quail
fed could be appointed. Senator
Wadsworth was for many years chair
tary affairs. He has an intimate
knowledge Of the War Department and
the Army needs. He has. further. eA-
cellent contact with Congress, for he
was personally popular with the mem
bers of both houses. He went down
to defeat in New York when ne was
running for Ee-election to the Senate
in 1926 because he came ouS as a
pronounced wet" and the dry faction
Of the Republican party put an inde-
pendent candidate in the field against
him. william J. Maier. chairman OF
the Repub,ic can State committee, sue
ceeding Machold In that Job, was at the
White House day or two ago "on
departmental matters" He did not
say, however. that he had discussed
the Job of Secretary Of War. Another
New York Republican leader, Charles
d. Hilles, the Republican national
committeeman. also has been visitor
at the White House recently.
It Is within the bounds Of possibility
that President Hoover may select an
important figure in the business and
financial world TO go into the cabinet.
Henry Robinson of California, great
personal friend of the President. has
been mentioned for any number OF
cabinet positions since Mr.. Hoover be-
came President. Former Senator Ere
linghuysen of New Jersey at one time
would have liked to be Secretary OF
War. But now he has announced his
intention of running for the Senate
next year to fill the vacancy caused by
the resignation of Senator Edge, now
Ambassador to France.
**A
The Republican leadership Of the
Senate has been giving the Republican
members of that body concern for some
time The death Of Senator Francis
r. Warren of Wyoming, chairman OF
the committee on appropriations, re-
garded as the most important OF the
committee chairmanships, may cause
different lineup In the Republican
leadership. Much hinges on whether
Senator Smoot OF Utah, chairman OF
the finance committee, but also ranking
member after Senator Warren on the
appropriations committee, decides to be-
come chairman o. the latter commit
tee. If he does, Senator Watson OF
Indiana. the present Republican leader
of the Senate, would be in line for the
craftsmanship of the finance commit
tee. II he took that committee chair
manship he might be expected to re-
linquish the Republican leadership Of
the Senate He gave up the chairman
ship of the interstate commerce com
mittee when he became Republican
leader. Should Mr.. Watson, who has
been in Ill health, now determine 10
accept the Craftsmanship Of the finance
committee. the Republicans might turn
to Senator Charles l.. McNary of Oregon
for their leader. Senator MGNary.'s
name as a possible leader was seriously
discussed before Senator Watson sue
ceeded Vice President Curtis in that
ONCE. But Senator Watson had a large
backing for the leadership at the
time, which included Senator McNary
himself.
Recently the young guard" move
ment among the Republicans of the
Senate gave rise to the talk of a pos
sible shift now In leadership. Members
of the young guard insisted that they
had no intention of disturbing the
Watson leadership. and that their only
purpose was to see that the tariff bill
was acted on as quickly as possible. The
death of Senator Warren, however,
with the possible changes in committee
craftsmanship, gives a different COM
plexion to the situation. 1t is known
that many of the young guard be-
lieve that Senator McNary would make
an able leader of the Republican forces
in the Senate, at a time when the
Republicans have been pretty we'll shot
to pieces.
Senator McNary may become assistant
leader in place of Senator Jones of
Washington, II Senator Smoot does not
take the craftsmanship of the appro-
priations committee. Senator Jones is
in line for the aupropriations committee