Evening star., 1947-01-26
Place on Claims Court
For SchweIIenbach
Reported Under Study
Honnegun Likely to Quit
As Porty Choirmon Soon,
But Stay in Cabinet
By Gould Lincoln

Changes involving two men,
bers of President Truman's Cabi-
net, Secretary of Labor Schwel-
lenbach and Postmaster General
Hannegan are under considera-
tion.
Mr.. Schwellenbach, 1t is reported,
is being considered for appointment
to the vacancy existing in the
United States Court of Claims.
Postmaster General Hannegan,
who also holds the Office of Demo-
cratic National chairman, is expected
soon to give up the national chair
manship, though he will retain the
cabinet post.
Mr.. Schwellenbach came from the
Federal bench to the office of Secre-
tary of Labor. He would like, at
the opportune moment, to reutrn to
the bench. According to his friends,
he also likes to live here. Whether.
the change will be made before the
labor legislation program, suggested
by President Truman and greatly
amplified by Republican leadership
in Congress, has been whipped into
shape is the question.
SteeIman Mentioned.
Should Mr.. Schwellenbach go to
the Court of Claims it has been sug-
gested John r. Steelmar, director
of War Mobilization and Recover
sion, will be made Secretary of
Labor.
If President Truman should have
Mr.. Schwellenbach in mind for
Supreme Court appointment, there
would be no reason why he could
not be transferred from the Court
of Claims if vacancy should come
in the highest court.
Mr.. Hannegan, who flew into
Washington and flew out again the
first of last week after conference
with the President, has not been in
good health. 1t had been planned for
him to get out of the national chair
manship at a meeting of the ma
tional committee here January "a.
The meeting plan was Cancelled,
however, to give more time for the
selection of the man who is to be-
come chairman in Mr.. Hannegan'S
place.
At one time it had been reported
that the Craftsmanship would go to
Democratic State Chairman Paul A.
Fitzpatrick of New York. The drub-
bing which Gov. Thomas E. Dewey
gave to the Democrats ip New York
last November seemed to have les
sened the availability of Mr.. Fitz-
patrick. However, Mr.. Fitzpatrick
is highly regarded.
He was at the White House yes
terday, but whether the national
Craftsmanship was discussed is not
known. 1t is understood he was
here to talk of the effort being made
by Mayor ODwyer to throw the old
crowd out of Tammany Hall and
lget new blood into the organization
which has been on the downward
Ipath tor some time.
No Jobs Given Lame Ducks.
Although the Congressional elec-
tions are nearly three months in
the past, and many Democratic
Senators and Representatives lost
their jobs as a result of those elec-
tions, President Truman has still to
appoint lame duck" to public
office. 1t is true that not great
many Offices have become vacant in
that period. But some have.
Not all of the lame ducks" wish
public ofice-though it may be
doubted many would decline if an
offer were made. Among the form
er Democratic Senators are Mead
Iof New York-beaten decisively by
Gov. Dewey in the gubernatorial
election-who would like to have
an appointment, Guffey of Penn
Isylvania, Huffman of Ohio, Nit
chell of Washington, Murdock of
Utah, Radcliffe of Maryland, Tun-
nell of Delaware, Walsh of Massa-
chusetts, and Wheeler of Montana.
Report has it that President Tru-
man is by no means partial to the
Idea that lame duck" Congress
members should have priority on
appointment to important Federal
jobs. He is particularly anxious to
Iget the best qualified men for the
posts in which vacancies occur.
Furthermore, if he once opens the
gate by appointment Of lame
duck, the pressure for others will
become enormous. To appoint one
and decline others would be diff
ficult.
Rndin Pronrums Pa. CO