The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-12-09
Did Not Want to Visit Pres
ident Wilson Without
Invitation
BOTH MEN SHOW
SOME HESITATION
Harding Remembers He Has Not Re
ceived Congratulations from Wilson
80 Two Leaders Could Not Confer On
Administrative Problems.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE = I
lSBeciaI Despatch to The Reformer)
Copyright 1920.

Copyright 1920
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-Warren
Harding has come and gone and the ex-
pected conference between Woodrow
Wilson and the President-elect failed to
mateliaiize. People may justly ask why.
The truth Of the matter may reveal an
unfortunate hesitancy on the part of
both OF the gentlemen concerned to take
the initiative and a disposition on the
part Of each u stick to his own concep-
ton of the properties, but the facts are
these:
White House officials let it be known
| to newspapeImen several days ago that
the President would be glad to see Sen
ator Harding. The hint was promptly
| taken and published broadcast. 1t
reached the ears OF the president-elect
Senator Harding considered whether he
! ought TO accept or ignore the informal
roundabout sort OF an invitation. He fl
nally told friends he would merely leave
| his cards and pay his respects unless he
received Il formal Invitation, or direct re-
quest To come to the executive mansion
! tor a conference.
| The president-elect would have gladly
accepted an invitation If he had been
| given one. He hesitated for this reason:
! He really didn't know whether the Pres
| dent wanted to see him. He remem
bered incidentally that of all the messages
| OF cGugraJulatIOn received after the
| election returns came in, including a mes
| sage from Governor Cox himself, not d
word came from the White House. Sen
ator Harding has told friends he is at a
! loss to understand 1t. Indeed II may be
| said that back Of MIR Hardng's declina
| ton OF the battieship rendered him by
| the President Tor the cruise to Panama
! was. a trace of concern over the failure
| of Mr.. Wilson to send any cOngratula
| tory message. OF course, when the May
| flower was offered for the trip to Wash
ngton from Hampton Roads the stop at
avoidable and the "Mayhower" simply
| couldn't have been as convenient. The
| battleship might however have been &C
| ceDted but Tor the wonder IN the mind OF
| Mr. Harding, as to the absence OF any
IcongratulatOry message from Mr.. Wilson
| The public may have lost sight of the
| fact but Senator Harding didn't.
| In defence of Mr.. Wilson's attitude IN
| the matter some of his friends venture
| the suggestion that he did not feel that
| he could extend congratulations, VIII
| any degree OF sincerity and that he dldn
want to seem hypOcTitical about it. To
| say Il congratulate You. on your Eletorl
| over us" would have been inconsistent
| with an honest mind, it is asserted but
| then other friends wonder why the Presl
| dent didn't simply contlne his message tt
| the expression of hope that America
would profit by the Harding administra
ton and that Mr.. Harding would be sue
eessful
| The incident is important in that i
prevented a frank and full discussion by
the outgoing president and the incomin!
president of some Of the most perplezing
problems in the nations history 1t il
| true that presidents-elect do not Away
confer with the man who Is still IN the
| White House. after election day but pre-
: cedents have been broken in recent year
| because of the extraordinary characte
| of the problems before the government
| Indeed. there will have to be many con
| ference between department heads of tn
| incoming and outgoing administration II
| the interest Of good government, and tn
| hope was that the two chiefs would Sc
an example for their associates. 1t ma!