The President's Choice

President Coolidge picked a successor to Colonel George Harvey, Ambassador to Great Britain. In picking his man, the President went far afield. He chose one from the home state of Magnus Johnson and the Farmer-Laborites. And he chose their political enemy, Frank Billings Kellogg.

It was known that the President wanted a Westerner for the post. Former Governor Frank 0. Lowden of Illinois (TIME, Oct. 15) was first sounded out but declined to consider the offer. Then Mr. Kellogg was chosen, and, although official announcement of the choice is still lacking, it is understood that only assurance from Great Britain that Mr. Kellogg will be acceptable is awaited before the announcement is made. The late President Harding is said to have had Mr. Kellogg in mind for the post. This rumor may well be taken with a grain of salt; for the same is said by Republicans of most of Mr. Coolidge's acts and it constitutes a form of protection against criticism.

The Man. Frank Kellogg, 66 years old, " frail in figure and nervous in demeanor," was Senator from Minnesota for the term 1917-1923. Last Spring he retired involuntarily, having been defeated for reelection by Hendrik Shipstead, Farmer-Laborite. He became a lame duck by a margin of more than 80,000 votes.

Born in Potsdam, N. Y., he has lived in Minnesota since his youth. He had only a common school education; then studied law. He made his fortune--he is a millionaire--as a corporation lawyer. But he is also a " trust buster." He was counsel for the Government in dissolution suits against the Standard Oil Co., the Paper Trust, the Union Pacific-Southern Pacific merger. He has been President of the American Bar Association (1912-13).

In the Senate he was a mild reservationist on the League of Nations question and in favor of Mr. Harding's World Court proposal. He knew President Harding intimately, in fact, was a member of the "golf cabinet." Mr. Kellogg held a post in the Foreign Relations Committee, and is an expert on international law. After he became a lame duck, he declared that he was " not a candidate for any appointment, didn't want any job and would not accept one."

He possesses two primary diplomatic qualifications: great wealth and a fondness for official entertaining. He and Mrs. Kellogg have no children.

The Politics. The appointment of Mr. Kellogg, it is said, will net the Republican regulars nothing; it will alienate the radicals of the Northwest. Senator Frazier, Republican insurgent from North Dakota, and Senator Wheeler, Democratic " Progressive " from Montana, both exclaimed: "The appointment shows the President is not a Progressive "and promised to vote against Mr. Kellogg's confirmation as Ambassador by the Senate. Gordell Hull, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, delivered his usual caustic comment: " I wonder what Newberry will be appointed to." Otherwise comment was more of surprise than of disapprobation.

Colonel Harvey was scheduled to sail for the U. S. on Nov. 3.