THE CABINET: Vacations

Bold indeed would a Cabinet member be to go on a summer holiday without his President’s consent. Because President Hoover has continued to work through Washington’s great heat, his Cabinet has remained dutifully by his side. In tropical garb—linen suits, white flannels, mohairs, panama hats, white shoes—they have trooped in and out of the White House to the semiweekly Cabinet meetings where they silently envied the President his cool quarters. When President Hoover fortnight ago publicly announced his intention to take his vacation this month in the Rocky Mountains, his official aides accepted that as notice of their release from the capital’s torridity. First to leave on his vacation last week was Secretary of State Henry Lewis Stimson. No. 1 cabinet member. His conscience was clear. The Senate had consented to the London Naval Treaty. For a month or more he will play about the Ausable Club at St. Hubert’s, N. Y. in the Adirondack Mountains with excursions into the woods to fish.

No. 2 man in the Cabinet, Secretary of the Treasury Mellon, forewent his customary trip to Europe this summer. Last spring he took a Caribbean cruise. His holiday now will consist only of frequent Friday-to-Tuesday trips to his and his brother’s Rolling Rock demesne near Pittsburgh, to watch and instruct his only son Paul, literarily inclined but learning the banking business.

Secretary of War Hurley, No. 3, got a special White House dispensation to make a survey of the upper Mississippi Valley in connection with waterway development. His vacation will probably come later in the month.

Attorney General Mitchell, No. 4. was delayed in getting away by the new program of .Prohibition enforcement transferred to his Department of Justice. Soon he will depart for White Bear Lake. Minn. to fish, sail, swim, shoot, tramp, play amateur cineman, shoot good golf.

Postmaster General Brown, No. 5 man. uncertain what he wanted to do, made no plans, prepared to hold the political fort in Washington while the President and his Cabinet colleagues were away.

Already Secretary of the Navy Charles Francis Adams has vacationed extensively at the yacht trials for the America’s Cup off Newport. He will take the balance in September at the races.

To a camp in California in a fortnight will go Secretary of the Interior Wilbur.

Secretary of Agriculture Hyde prepared to use his holiday time making a round of agricultural meetings from Indianapolis to Spokane.

Secretary of Commerce Lament will spend his vacation this month on the Colorado ranch of his son Robert, who lost a hand in the War, was decorated with the French Military Medal at Soissons.

Secretary of Labor Davis wanted to divide his free time this summer between politics in Pennsylvania where he is the Republican Senatorial nominee and Mooseheart, 111., where he is head of the Loyal Order of Moose.