The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-12-15
CABINET SHIFT
AMONG BIG
PROBLEMS,
Budget and Message
To Congress Also
Await Action
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
International News Service

President Roosevelt returns to
the Capital tonight for a busy
period of charting the second
phase of the New Deal.
His desk is piled high with
work, and many important de-
cisions await his attention.
Congress is only three weeks
away, a new Congress whose
Democratic majorities are so
overwhelming as to be embar-
RAISING. A final okay must be
given on the budget, with every
agency of the Executive eStao-
lishment striving for more funds.
His message to the new Congress
on the state of the nation re-
mains to be written. Until the
tenor of that message is seen
Congress will do little.
Cabinet Changes Due
Important personnel changes in
his cabinet and throughout the de-
partments have been under con-
sideration for weeks, and a num-
Der Of decisions are in the immedi-
ate offing.
One of Mr.. Rosevelt's early con-
ferences will be with the chair
man of the Democratic National
Committee, Postmaster General
James A. Farley, who timed his ar
rival in Washington to coincide
with Mr.. RooSevelt's return. They
have scarcely seen each other
since the November election.
Farley has already notified the
President that he desires to quit
his Cabinet post early in the new
year. He will retain the party
Craftsmanship but relinquiSh the
Postmaster Generals berth, there
by quieting some Of the clamor
thai was heard in Congress last
session about the "impropriety"
of holding both places. The real
reason for Farley'S retirement,
however, is not the clamor, but
personal financial considerations.
Helvering Mentioned
The selection of Farley's success
sor is being awaited with keen in
terest, There are numerous candi-
dates for the post, but q likely
winner is reported to be Guy I.
Helvering, now commissioner OF
internal revenue.
Helvering is KanSan, and ms
promotion to the Cabinet would be
in the nature of recognition OF that
$1,000 majority which Kansas
gave Mr.. Roosevelt in the Novem-
Der election. A hard worker during
the campaign, Helvering was one
of the extremely few who insisted
from the outset that Mr.. Roosevelt
could and would carry his rivals
home State. He finally sold Farley
on his optimism, but he never did
succeed in convincing Mr.. Roose-
welt until the returns were In.
The appointment of Helvering
would be very acceptable to Con-
cress, in which he served for six
years as a member from the fifth
Kansas district. His friends in
Congress have been quietly push
ing his candidacy ever since the
election, and since Farley's In
tention to retire became known.
Other Shifts Likely
Should this cabinet berth go to
Helvering, however, it would
create a situation for the Presl-
dent with regard to the War De-
partment. Another Kansan. ex-
Gov. Harry Woodring. is now serv-
ing as the acting secretary OF
war. In making this appointment
some weeks before the election.
Mr.. Roosevelt made it clear that
1t was of a temporary nature:
Should Helvering be appointed
postmaster General, therefore. it
is expected Woodring will either
retire or revert to his former
status of Assistant Secretary OF
war, leaving Mr.. Roosevelt free
to make another appointment.
What other cabinets posts may
be vacated is a matter that is
clouded with considerable uncer-
tainty. Rumors persist, despite
denials, that Daniel G. Roper is
slated to go as Secretary of Com
merce and that Frances Perkins IS
to be replaced as Secretary OF
Labor.
All members Of the cabinet, fol
lowing custom, will go through the
formality of offering their resigna-
lions at the expiration of the Ad-
ministration'S first term next
month, thus leaving Mr.. Roosevelt
free to reform his official family
If he wants to do so. designations
of those whom he wishes to retain
will not be accepted.
That there will be some changes
other than those involving the
Post Office and War Departments
seems reasonably certain. Politi-
cal debts accumulate during a
campaign, and are discharged
after election. The impression OBJ
tains in Washington that Farley
has a list of them.
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