William G. McAdoo to Woodrow Wilson

I conveyed your message to Denman. It gratified him very much. I suggested that he send you a line, telling you the date of his probable departure and asking you to indicate the time when you could see him. He is going to do this.
I have been thinking over the remaining vacancy in the Shipping Board, and if I were you I would appoint Captain Commandant Bertholf, of the Coast Guard service, to this post. He is a Republican, or, in any event, an Independent. Bertholf is a man of unusual ability both as to administrative matters and as to shipping affairs in general. The Coast Guard, as you know, has a very intimate relation with the merchant marine, and Bertholf, as the head of that Service, has had an experience of many years covering ship construction, repair and operation, and maritime matters in general. He is a man of excellent judgment, fine poise, agreeable manners, and understands how to cooperate and smooth out and overcome difficulties. I thought of him for the position in the first instance, but understood that he was disinclined to give up his present position where he has a military and retirement status, all of which he would lose if he took this civil post. I don't know that you could get him, but if you could he would be without doubt the very best appointment you could make. Perhaps a leave of absence could be granted which would enable Captain Bertholf to serve on the Shipping Board, and when that expired he could be returned to his present position. I think this is worth your very serious consideration.