Evening star., 1933-01-02
CABINET CHOICES
SHUN LOW SALARY
Difficulty of Getting Best in
Midst OF Rush for Places
Is Apparent.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Cabinet making by the political archi-
tects is now in full season.
President-eleot Roosevelt has sound
ed out" through Intermediates a num-
Der OF prominent individuals. Most OF
the conspicuous names will not be en-
the final cabinet list. Business respon-
sibilities and personal considerations
will prevent those men from accepting.
The salary of a cabinet officer IS
$4,000 year. Many Of the successful
men Of the country are earning incomes
in excess of $4,000 year TO live in
Washington in the style to which such
men have been accustomed is hardly
possible on $4,000 year salary unless
incomes are supplemented by their pri-
vate estates But most of the invest
ments Of the active business men have
suffered like all other estates in income
Shrinkage, and If these men severed
their business connections-which is, of
course. required by law-they would lose
their normal salaries as WELL
Means Loss for Ablest.
The upshot Of it is that it is gen.
orally agreed that with only few ex-
ceptions the ablest men in the Demo-
!. to come to Washington.
There is no lack of Office seekers,
some of whom can comfortably take
care of the financial requirements, but
this type Of job hunter constitutes a
mediocrity hardly compatible with
national crisis of major proportions.
Mr. Roosevelt is known to have fixed
upon James Farley, Democratic national
chairman, for Postmaster General.
a. - fI1n y
met it will be Frances Perkins, State
labor commissioner of New York.
Henry wallace of Iowa, son of the |
man who served in the Harding cabinet |
as Secretary OF Agriculture. is being |
seriously considered for the same post
his father occupied.
Norman H. Davis is favorably thought !
of for Secretary of State.
John w. Davis is mentioned fire.
quently for Attorney General, though |
some reports have it that he will be
asked to become Ambassador to Great |
Britain.
Bernard M Barllch, suggested for
Secretary of the Treasury, and Jesse |
Straus for Secretary of Commerce, both !
hail from New York, SO it is believed
that only one will be invited to serve. |
Mr.. Baruch was offered the secretary
ship of the Treasury by President VIII
son but declined. The business world |
Is hoping he would accept this time.
Glass Valuable in Congress.
Senator Glass Of Virginia could be in
the cabinet If he desired, though his
influence in Congress is believed to be
sought more than his participation in
the cabinet, where he already has
served as Secretary of the Treasury.
Senator Walsh of Montana is another
name mentioned for Attorney General,
but he is believed to prefer to stay in
the Senate.
The gossip in polictical circles is
that there have been no outright
tenders Of portfolios, but that Mr.
Roosevelt has used third parties to find
out how some of the men of prominence
whose names have been identified with
talk CT Cabinet positions might feel
about entering his Cabinet, thus are
dircc. tenders" or "oeclination'
sCld5j
Mr.. Roosevelt may be expected to an
nOunce his Cabinet piecemeal inasmuch
as there is greater urgency for the
naming OF tine Secretaries of State,
Treasury AID Commerce than any OF
the other seven places.
The Hoover Cabinet officials are
anxious TO do what they can in the
nex5 so days to inform their respective
successors about the status of current
matters pending before the Government
and thus be able to make their per-
Sonal plans as well as aid the post of
Assistant Secretaries and lesser execu-
tiVeS to SynchroniZe their personal
plans for the future with the dates on
which they can feel free to leave the
Government service.
tCopyright 1880