Millionaires

The retirement of Messrs. Harvey and Child leaves vacancies in two major ambassadorial posts. In their order of importance the leading embassies are usually rated as London, Paris, Tokyo, Rome. The post at London as well as being the most important has also the greatest historical interest, for it has been occupied by James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Washington Irving, Martin Van Buren, James Buchanan, Charles Francis Adams, James Russell Lowell and, in more recent years, by Robert Todd Lincoln, Thomas F. Bayard, John Hay, Joseph H. Choate, Whitelaw Reid, Walter Hines Page, John W. Davis. Now a successor to these men must be chosen, as well as an Ambassador to Rome.

The Qualifications. An ambassador ought to be a diplomat. More than that, he has to be a millionaire--especially at the Court of St. James. It is probably a moderate estimate that the occupant of that post must spend $50,000 a year in excess of his salary as Ambassador. This limits the possible candidates very materially. Judging by income tax returns there are only 10,000 or 15,000 millionaires in the country. Of this number probably half must be deducted for lack of proper education, a third of the rest for being Democrats, and nine-tenths of the remainder for obvious reasons, including lack of interest, poor personality, etc.

Another qualification has usually been an extensive record of party service. Colonel Harvey helped to engineer the coup by which Mr. Harding was nominated at the Republican Convention in 1920. It was in his rooms in Chicago, hot and filled with tobacco smoke, that at three a. m. on a June morning the agreement was made which produced the nomination. Similarly Ambassador Child spent the Summer of 1920 in Marion editing Senator Harding's speeches. Similar services were rendered by Myron T. Herrick, Ambassador to France, and by Charles B. Warren, Ambassador (since resigned) to Tokyo. President Coolidge has not the ties of such services to bind him to the men he chooses as Ambassadors, but it is presumed that political considerations will not be entirely lacking. It is understood that the President would like to name a Westerner to London, since only three such have ever held the post, Robert C. Shenck of Ohio, Robert T. Lincoln of Illinois, John Hay of Ohio.

The Possibilities. In spite of the limitations on the President's choice there are some 15 names prominently mentioned for the London post. There is no guarantee that any of them will be appointed. President Coolidge is expected to take his time, and not make his intentions known until after Congress convenes on Dec. 3. But the heads of the list rank as major probabilities from what is now known:

Henry P. Fletcher of Greencastle, Pa., present Ambassador to Belgium, promoted to that post from Under Secretary of State, a lawyer by training. During the Spanish War he served as a private in the Rough Riders. Since 1902 he has held one diplomatic post after another, reaching the rank of Ambassador in 1914, with which authority he served in Chile and Mexico.

Charles B. Warren of Detroit, a lawyer, who served as counsel for the Government in various international disputes, became a member of the Republican National Committee in 1912, and Ambassador to Japan in 1921. He resigned from that post last Spring and during the Summer conducted (with John Barton Payne) the negotiations for the recognition of Mexico. His diplomatic record, although brief, is considered able. Frank O. Lowden of Oregon, Ill., former Governor of his state (1917-1921) and an outstanding candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1920. From a law practice in Chicago he branched into society and politics. He married Florence Pullman, daughter of George M. Pullman (sleeping cars). McKinley offered to make him Assistant Postmaster General but he declined. He lost the Gubernatorial nomination in 1904. Three years later he was elected to Congress and served for about five years. In the Republican split of 1912 he stood by Taft, but not in the rock-ribbed Republican group. His stand was such that in 1916 Roosevelt called upon him "'to assume a position of leadership " and to help align the Republican and Progressive forces. That year he was elected Governor and made a creditable record in office, reorganizing the executive department of the state from 128 bureaus into nine departments, reducing the tax rate.

The interest which attaches to the possible appointment of Mr. Lowden to Great Britain is that he is looked upon as possible candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination next year. To become Ambassador he must sacrifice the other possibility. He can hope for the Presidential nomination only in the case of an open fight, in which his sound but not reactionary record would make him readily available as a compromise candidate. He is not the kind of a man to make a spectacular fight for the nomination. From the standpoint of President Coolidge, the appointment of Mr. Lowden would remove a possible rival. But this fact is publicly known and such an appointment would bear the stigma of a political move. In White House councils this fact may militate against Mr. Lowden's other qualifications--tact, moderation and no mean amount of classical scholarship, a thing not unvalued by the English. If Mr. Lowden has the choice, will he prefer a home in the American Embassy at No. 4, Grosvenor Gardens, London, or a chance at the white-fronted residence on Pennsylvania Ave., Washington ?

John Hays Hammond of Gloucester and Washington, Chairman of the U. S. Coal Commission. He has had a unique career in mining engineering and finance. For a time he was in South Africa and led the reform movement in the Transvaal. During the Boer War he was sentenced to death, later committed to life imprisonment and finally released on payment of a fine of $125,000. He attended the coronation of George V as special Ambassador and Representative of President Taft.

Paul D. Cravath of Manhattan, lawyer. He was a member of the Inter-Allied War Conference in 1917 and won the D. S. M., Legion of Honor, etc.

Myron T. Herrick of Cleveland, present Ambassador to France, lawyer, banker, politician. He was Governor of Ohio, 1903-1906, and Ambassador to France, 1912-1914. President Harding reappointed him to that post.

James M. Beck of Washington, Solicitor General of the U. S.

Frederick H. Gillett of Springfield, Mass., Speaker of the House. He is an Amherst graduate, class of '74. He has served in Congress continuously since 1893.

Frank B. Kellogg of St. Paul, former Senator from Minnesota, but defeated by Hendrik Shipstead in the last election.

Frank A. Munsey of Manhattan, publisher of three Republican newspapers in New York City and of several magazines.

William M. Collier of Auburn, N. Y., Ambassador to Chile. He is an expert on International Law and was President of George Washington University for four years prior to his appointment to Santiago in 1921.

Frank W. Stearns of Boston, dry goods merchant and personal friend of the President, Amherst '78.

Marion L. Burton of Ann Arbor, President of the University of Michigan, former President of Smith College and of the University of Minnesota.

John Bassett Moore of Manhattan, expert on international law, twice Assistant Secretary of State, a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague and judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice (World Court).

Elihu Root of Manhattan, Secretary of War under McKinley, Secretary of State under Roosevelt, Senator from New York, 1909-1915. His diplomatic and political record is unequaled by any of the candidates, but he would probably be unwilling to accept the post at London, since he is understood to have refused it when approached by President Harding in 1921,