The Washington times., 1931-03-26
CABINET MOVES
H|NTED, ONE
DENIED
Ray Lyman WiIbur's Return
to Leland Stanford Near,
Says Tip; Mellon to Retire
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES

There are persistent reports
that the end Of the fiscal year,
June 80, may see some shifts in
President Hoover's Cabinet.
One Of the changes most fire.
quently and persistently rumored
involves the Secretaryship Of
the Interior, now held by DR..
Ray Layman Wilbur, who was
drafted" by Mr.. Hoover at the
outset Of his administration.
DR.. Wilbur Is still president Of
Lelan Stanford University, and
Is serving in the Cabinet on
leave Of absence which already
has been extended at Mr.. Hoover:s
request. Mr.. Hoover is trustee
Of the university.
Plans to Return
According to the report, which
denial has thus far failed to
still, DR.. Wilbur plans to retire
from his Cabinet post and re-
turn to the university before the
next term begins.
His successor, according to re-
ports in administration circles,
iS to be Will m v. Hodges, CT
Denver, former treasurer Of the
Republican national committee,
and more recently an unSuccess
full candidate for the Senate from
Colorado.
Hodges won the Republican
senatorial nomination in Colo
RADIO last year after bitter party
fight, only to be defeated in No
vember by Edward P. Costigan,
Democrat.
Diplomatic Variety
DR.. Wilbur denied to the In
ternational News Service CORE
spondent aboard the U. S. S
Arizona, now returning from
the Caribbean, that he plans to
resign.
Yet the expectation that he
will do so prevails generally in
administration circles, and the
denial was considered sOmew1 +
Of the diplomatic variety.
When he came into the Cabi-
net on March 4, 1929, it was
for one year. He was only given
leave for that length of time.
Upon the completion of his
first year, Administration mat
ters in which he was keenly in
terested, among them Boulder
Dam, were still pending, and
President Hoover arranged by
long distance telephone to retain
his services for another year, re-
marking as he made the an
nOuncement that he was mot
without influence in my old uni
versity."
Dam Matter Finished
Boulder Dam Is now on the
way to realization. The legisla-
ton has been passed, the con-
tracts let, and it is now only a
matter of time before the gigantic
project begins to function in &C
cordance with the dreams of its
sponsors.
DR.. Wilbur probably is Presi-
dent Hoover's closest perS on a
friend. They were classmates at
Stanford, and have maintained
O close personal relationship
throughout their divergent Ca
reers. When he entered the
Cabinet in 1929 it was a re-
union Of two old friends.
Mellon To Retire, Report
The other Cabinet shift per-
sistently reported as due on June
80 involves the Secretaryship of
the Treasury, often rum m or d
hitherto and always failing to
materialize.
This time, it is reported, Sec
retary Andrew w. Melon really
is deSirous of retiring.
The enormous amount of Gov
eminent refinancing necessitated
because of the drop in Govern
ment receipts and the maturity
of outstanding bond issues will
have been completed by June 80.
Ahead lies the prospect of
rigid economy and probably a
raise in taxes in the closing year
Of Mr.. Hoover's first term.
Has Enviable Record
Secretary Mellon has an en-
viable and unique record as head
of the Treasury.
In ten years service, under
three Presidents, he has seen
the public debt cut more than ten
billions of dollars and three
major tax reductions simuItane-
Ously accomplished. 1t is a
record that his friends assert he
would like to leave unmarried by
the tax increase which many be-
1ieve is inevitable in the next two
years.
Also, Secretary Mellon celebrated
his s76th birthday only a few days
ago.
He has bought for his son,
Paul, an historic Virginia county
estate, and his friends say he
hopes and expects to spend con-
siderable time there.
The usual denials are made
whenever Melons retirement is
suggested.
There appears, however, more
justification for 1t this time.
Police Seek Missing
"A