Imperial Valley press., 1920-11-05
OUR NEXT PRESIDENT
Continued from page 2.)

did politics on the side. His boss, bus,
in politics, was out of town a gooC
deal and let Warren write the editor
ials warning him that they must be
fcr7ently Democratic in tone.
"You know some of the best editor
ials l ever wrote were for that Dem
ocratic paper" Harding says. But all
the while he was an active Republican
worker, though not old enough to vote.
He wore one of the large Blaine CAM
paign hats adopted by Republican
partisans during that campaign. He
got away with it for a while, but
local Democrats began to complain to
Harding's boss about him allowing a
republican to get out his paper. Then
Harding made his first political deci-
sion. 1t was either discard the Blaine
hat or be fired. He was fired.
Il have been a strong party man
ever since" Harding adds.
Then you may hear Harding tell
how he and a boy chum between them
borrowed $500 and bought the Marion
Star after the sheriff had taken charge
of the property. They printed it one
page at d time on a small job press
and It was the first small town daily |
in Ohio, Harding says. But the part
neship broke up when the telephone
was introduced in Marion. Harding, |
who had to get all the advertising and !
collect naws as well, wanted to put in I
a telephone to Save time. His part
ner said it was silly idea. Harding
ordered it in anyway and the partner
coming back 20 the office was so
angry that he demanded dissolution I
al insisted oI being put on salary.
81 put him on the payroll at nine /
dollars a week." Harding said. And 1
he was better off than l was then"
But the young publisher struggled
along, setting up his own type often, II
writing all the news and soliciting
most of the advertising. When the
Star grew to need a circulation man
ager, Mrs. Harding dropped her house
down to the Star office every day,
kept the books Of all subscribers, col
lected for the paper, hired the carriers
and supervised the distribution of the |
PAPER from the time it came out of the
press. II
Well Acquainted i
'.In those days l knew every sub
scriber of the Star and l knew just
how muaa he owed on his paper BILL
Mrs. EaEaing said one day. She also
had her troubles. with the newsboys. |
One 5ay a youngster ran a small cleo
trio wire around the press to the rack
where Mrs. Harding pulled out the
papers.
When she put her hand down to take
cat bunch, she touched the live wire
and gos srock
She started on the trail of the Of
Tending. youngster who had given her
trouble Afore and. having obtained his
mothers proxy after an altercation
some weeks before promptly collared |
the young man and turned him over
Ter knee and spanked him. A few Sun
days ago 80 formet newsboys of the
Star, all now prosperous young men |
scattered IN many cities, came to Mar
ION. They were gathered on the front
porch with Senator and Mrs. Harding.
Where is the boy Mrs. Harding |
spanked?' Senator Harding asked. |
Five hands were up in the crowd
That is Mrs. Harding's way. She |
is frank, outspoken, and the most in
veterate campaigner of the two. She
appears to really enjoy shaking hands
during political affair and around
her home here she is out from early
morning until after dark greeting Wis
itors.
Her good humored manner has made
hit with political audiences through
out the campaign. A
When Harding went to the senate.
Mrs. Harding set up a home in Wash
lngton, but to the CONSERVATION of a
many of the ladies of the senate, she 6
continued to invite her old friends in !.
regardless of their social standing in
the senatorial circle" If she runs I
true to form, anyone in Marion prob b
ably will be able to wander into the +
White House and get an invitation to
stay to dinner.
Mrs. Harding has what they call il
"gumptlon' out here in Ohio. In her :
youth she was skilled horsewoman.
her father, who was a wealthy busi- +
ness man here, having owned fine
string of riding horses. Now she takes r
mot of her recreation in the form of !