Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-02-14
BY the A.soc,o,sd Pres.

ss.s ny me Assocfoieo PEess
+ The prepared tert OF Secre-
tary Ickes' broadcast last night
tollotos: M
am here tonight to explain why
l chose to resign after almost Il
years in the high post OF Secretary
of the Interior with which President
Roosevelt honored me on March 4
1888.
My task is no easy one, nor was
the decision to resign an easy one
But man has to live with himself
II have to spend the rest of my
life with Harold l.. Ickes, and
could no longer, much as I regret
it, retain my self respect and stay
in the cabinet Of President Truman
In my letter of resignation to the
President. I proposed that my resig-
nation take effect at the close OF
business on March 81. My reason
for this was that the hearings on
the proposed Anglo American oil
treaty will begin on March 4. I am
proud Of this treaty, which I nur-
tured and raised by bottle from the
beginning. I think that had more
to do with setting it up than any
other man in the Government. ]
wanted to be here for those hearings
However, told the President that
II 1t was his desire that ! should
retire at an earlier date. I, would
be glad to do so.
President Sets Feb. Is.
In brief note late this morning
he told me that my term of Office
would end on February Is, the day
after tomorrow. 1 suppose that
after being here almost 10 years ]
shall have no trouble In picking ul
In two days the odds and ends which
have accumulated during that per-
iod. He also said that he considered
that my resignation terminated all
of my other governmental activities
I regard this remark of the Presi-
dents as in the nature Of superero-
CATION. 1t was like saying that when
a tree falls to the ground all of its
branches 60 with it.
On no occasion did the President
ever tell me that he proposed to
nominate Mr.. Pauley for Under
secretary of the Navy. OF course,
I had seen reports to this effect in
the newspapers. and this possibility
seemed to be on the tongue Of many
people In Washington.
Word came to me indirectly that
Mr. Pauley himself had told the
President of my probable opposition
to his nomination. In the circum-
stances, 1t surprised me that the
President did not frankly ask me
what might be the basis of such
opposition. Late Thursday after
noon, January 81, received tele-
gram from Senator Walsh, chair
man Of the Naval Affairs Committee
OF the Senate, asking me, at the
request Of Senator Tobey, to appear
before his committee on the NOM
nation of Mr.. Pauley the following
morning at 1880. The cabinet met
at 10 o'clock on that day. At almost
exactly II, as we were about to
adjourn, / left my chair so as to
reach President Truman first and
showed him the telegram from Sen
ator Walsh. He still refrained from
asking me if I had any objections
to this nomination. All that he said
was "of course. you will have to
tell the truth but be as gentle as
you can with Ed Pauley." In the
light of succeeding circumstances,
/ may be permitted to doubt whether
the President was not speaking in
D; PHkwickian sense when hi told
me p tell the tspth. E
+, Shunnse Perjury. ~
I proceeded to tne meeting of
the Naval Affairs Committee and
I think that the record will show
that I did everything that could
In behalf of Mr.. Pauley except to
perjure myself. 1t is rather shock
Ing to me to- learn that certain
members of the Democratic Party,
Outstanding ands.supposed ~repata-
tpn, evidently are incensed thatJ
dH not commit perjury. Even sif
I could subscribe to the theory that
a man obviously unfit for the office
for which he has been nominated
should be confirmed by the Senate,
dissent vigorously from the motion
that one should forswear himself