Evening star., 1936-04-26
DELAY IN FILLING
HOWEPOSTL|KELy
Roosevelt Reported Loathe
to Replace Closest Friend
With "0utsider."
BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

President Roosevelt probably will
leave the secretarial post filled by the
late Col. Louis McHenry Howe vacant,
at least for the present.
In the first place. the relationship
between Howe and the President, be-
cause Of their long friendship, was
such that there is no one who could
MI Howe's place.
Secondly, because Of his prolonged
illness. Col. Howe had not been active
for more than a year prior to his
death week ago. So far as outward
appearances are concerned. things
moved along satisfactorily with Mar
vim H. Mcintyre and Stephen Early.
the assistant secretaries. taking over
most Of Col. Howe's duties.
The legislative liaison work former
ly done by Col. Howe has long since
been delegated to Charles E. West,
former member Of the House from
Ohio. whom President Roosevelt ap-
pointed about year ago as Under
secretary Of the Interior.
Outsider Held Unlikely.
Those close to the President believe
it would be inconceivable for him to
select someone on the outside as sec
retary in Col. Howe's place over the
heads Of his two present faithful as
sstant secretaries. These two men
have been loyal and devoted to Mr..
Roosevelt since the days when he was
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy.
Those who are in position to know,
also believe the Presidents relation
ship with both Steve" and Mac" Is
of such a close nature that he simply
could not pick out one Of the two to
promote above the other.
Therefore. the belief Is that Presi-
dent Roosevelt will let the secretariat
continue just about as it has during
the more than l3 months Of Col.
Howe's illness.
A fact not generally known Is that
a certain amount of correspondence
and personal work once done by Mr..
Howe has been taken care Of by Miss
Marguerite Durand. who was associ-
ated with Mr.. Howe As private sec
retary for eight years. Miss Durand
probably will continue in this ca
pacity.
Only One Secretary.
Mr.. Roosevelt has never attempted
to explain why he appointed one sec
retary and two assistant secretaries
instead Of following President Hoover's
set-up of three secretaries Actually.
Mr.. Roosevelt has q three-secretary
set-up but only Col. Howe received
the title. Mcintyre and Early had the
word assistant" prefixed to their title
and their salaries designated at $500
q year instead Of $4,000. the salary
paid to Col. Howe and the three men
who did the secretarial work during
the Hoover administration.
A situation equally paradoxical re-
suited when Lewis Douglas resigned
as director OF the budget nearly two
years ago and the President turned
over the budget task to Daniel w.
Bell. jr, but never appointed him
director Of the budget. It has been
explained that Mr.. Bell, who has 4
civil service status, preferred being
merely acting director. Jefferson
Coolidge stepped out of the admins
tration several months ago as Under
secretary Of the Treasury, but Mr..
Roosevelt has not given the slightest
indication that he has any intention
Of filling this place in the near fu-
ture. He appears to be following the
same policy regarding the appoint
ment Of . successor to Col Henry L..
Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary Of the
Navy, who died few months ago.