Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-11-11
HOW DOES It FEEL
TO Be ELE
PRESIDENT OF J.. 81.
Lawrence, Who Watched Hard.
ing Get the Returns, Says
Victorious Candidate Kept an
Even Keel" Was Never Ruff
fled and Never Cup Stage"
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright. 1920, by Free Press)

Copyright, 1920, by Free Press)
Marion. Ohio, Nov. Allow does II feet~
to be elected President OF the United
states?
Many OF US VINO watched the victorious
candidate receive the returns and saw
keep an even keel, never ruffled,
never up-stage. never exhibiting even the
school-boyish JOY that one might expect
upon such an occasion, could not but come
to the conclusion that President-elecr
Harding will face all the big moments OF
his career with the same deliberateness.
the same calmness and the same modesty.l
that seemed to invest him az the create
est gift In the nations power was slowly
but surely bestowed upon him by the tele.l
graphed returns of the vote in all parts
of the United States. r
Conservatory Senator Harding read
the dispatches. The Joyous expressions of
the people at his home made him happy
yet only when a delegation of printers
and employees from his own newspaper
came to the front porch to rejoice with
Warren Harding. did he choke with
emotion. 1t was their JOY. their happiness.
their enthusiasm which he caught. Hs
broke for only a moment. Soon he was
himself again calmly examining the re-
turns. nodding here and smiling there.
mingling among his guests and going
about his own house with the same ease
that a practised host might display upon
inviting a house fun of folks for a social
occasion.
Ever since the Chicago convention, last
June people have been assuring Warren
Harding that he would be elected, people
who ought to know the political trend OF
the country, but never did the senator
permit himself to imagine that the con-
test was really over. that he was actually
elected. Even when rival headquarters
were conceding the election, he did not
give vent to his innermost feelings.
Perhaps it was the caution which Mrs.
Harding was always expressing.
II salute you as the first lady of the
land" exclaimed an enthusiastic neish-
Dor, to Mrs. Harding.
"Oh. it's too early for that" insisted
the wife of the senator. And / shall not
kiss Warren until I really know he Is
elected"
1t was Senator Harding himself who
reminded me that four years ago the peo-
pie were fooled by early election returns.
I explained to him that the Hughes elec-
ton was conceded before enough States
had been heard from to warrant such a
concession and that this time the returns
included western States.
That's true he answered with a smile.
ut does look good doesn't it"
For innate modesty there are few
men like Senator Harding in public life.
For rugged honesty and conscientious-
, ness. it would be we'll for the nation II
more men emulated his example. Gov-
ernor Cox has talked of a senatorial
oligarchy. 1t is extremely doubtful
whether the senatorial group will control
Senator Harding. If the Republican sena-
tors expect to do so as they used to in
other administrations they will find them-
selves very much mistaken, and dis
appointed. Warren Harding IL loyal to
his friends but a sense of duty carries
him even beyond friendships. He has a.
3 mind of his own. and a will power which
will surprise many who are reluctant to
accept him as a vigorous character.
Senator Harding hasn't made a single
promise of "a cabinet portfolio. The inner
circle is as much in the dark about that
as the outer circle containing the great
, body of American citizens. Senator Hard.
| ing has made up his mind to take o rest
1 first and think about his new job after
wards. He goes to the southernmost end
OF Texas and then to Panama and VIII
keep away from the horde of Office SEEK
ers, who camp on the doorstep Of q
e President-elect.
AS for future policies. the senator read
carefully the election returns without
comment as to their meaning. He an-
. swered the inquiry of one reporter. as to
{ whether America would enter the League
= of Nations by declaring that he need have
q no apprehension about America entering
= SOME kind of an association of nations.
. But IT was one Of most remarkable cleo.
l. ton parties in American history. Friends
, of the victorious candidate sat around
y as he himself read aloud the various press
\ association reports that came to the
u house.
e Everybody in Marion seemed to feel tho
IS right to drop in and say Hello" with
u the same informally as If they were call.
e ing on any neighbor or fellow townsman.
: The simple home of the Hardings was OF
course alive with people. Fred Cpham.
William c. Wrigley, Jr., Albert d. Lasker.
all of whom have had a prominent part
, in the financial, or advertising side OF
y the campaign, came from their homes in
Chicago in a special train with George
a Getz, of Chicago. and were with the
senator as news of his election came over
the wires.
Harry Daugherty, Colonel Darden, Fred
> Starek and other close friends from pre-.
convention days were there too. Then came
a fife and drum corps. 1t aroused the entire
town and the procession started along
Mount Vernon avenue, to the Harding
y home. Such n noise as they did make.
:. They yelled and shouted and blew horns
ID and fairly screamed for JOY. When Sena-
Is tor Harding came to the front porch, he
% was given the cheer that comes only
l. once In IA lifetime. when a man Is elected
n to the presidency. when the voices of the
lie people who have known him for years
d are lifted up in a chorus that comes
lie from the heart, a chorus of congratula-
lie ton that is sincere and spontaneous, that
y Is at once an expression or pride and
sc exultation. Mrs, Harding was kissed by
I'd her neighbors again and again. Tho
President-elect's hand was shaken vigor.
ously by thousands of his friends. real
Sc love and affection for the Hardings was
u~nmistakable in that. crowd. They cele'
ct brated the victory of their ne!ghbor, with
the noisy enthusiasm and ecstacy which
as Americans anywhere they might dis
play as they saw a struggling boy OF
humble parentage and modest means win
NJ out in the greatest of all contests ID
u American public life.