Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-13
e,rsnla5l0? fTsuias saturday unfay 1877
MONDAY, DECEMBER Is, 1920.
Mr.. Harding May Mean wen.

Much spcculatior has been incited. over.
Mr. Harding's brief remarks TO ms COZ
l,,rrss IN the United States Senate, last
Monday. when nc occupied his seat III 'ii''
body for a brief scason. II was IN the iilaiii
,o,-commit,al. hut one declaration mas
h>en accepted as an intimation that III
an. resnect ct lea.t he nay, aite- ne
assumes the office OF President OF 1iie
United States, look with different mina
upon the lawful prerogatives OF senate anu
President. respectively. In fact, that as
President he may reverse the atutude ne
% oh.erfullv assumed with his fellows
during all Of his Senatorial term, which was
,,,a.- the administration Of President
Wilson !,
when NV responsibilities begin in the
executive capacity" said Mr. haro'hs'
u shall be a. mindful Of the Senate re-
.n,o,;b;I;tie. a. | have been seaious OF
them a. member, but ! mean az the
xme tirne-to be Just as insistent about the
re.ponsibilities of the Executive ouf
government good fortune does not lie IN
any surrender at either end Of the avenue
nm, IN the coordination and cooperation
which becomes the two in a great ana
truly representative government
Now this sound. very fine but i may
mean nothing orr great deal. II must oe
horn. in mind that heretofore Mr. Hard
inr viewed the situation from the senator
al standpoint only. He knows what that
,.-sn insi-tence. in effect, that the Senate
spracticaIlv the entire government. nat
ss il in the main compels the House OF
Representatives TO subnit 70 IT'S Will X
Alec expects like compliance from the
President and in the event Of dissent on the
mart Of the Executive will insist upon
having it's wav. And that attitude has re-
ceived Mr. Hardine's cordial support Tor
the past SIX wears.
II vss well-known at the time that Mr.
Harding was nominated for President oy
small combination Of United States
Senator's who believed he would be the
man for their purpose, and as President
would meekly submit 10 Senatorial die
tation. During the campaign Mr- Harding
said nothing to disabuse this impression
and ioined with Others IN denouncing the
"urIrpations Of authority by President
Wilson
But Mr.. Harding in few months VIII be
President Of the United States and Ger,
tainlv will have larger view Of the re-
.Don.ibilities and duties Of the Office, ano
of IL. Just and lawful prerogatives- lie VII
he. a. President. mindful Of the Senate
responsibilities, but also viii 'be just 81
Insistent about the responsibilities Of th'
Executive. Here we have declaration
that naturally suggests the possibility oi
clash between the irresistible force anC
the 'inmovable object" for even Mr.
Harding. going almost immediately iron
the Senate 10 the White House, mus
know that II would he impossible Tor mn
10 maintain the just prerogatives OF th
ofice Of President without OCCASIONAL,
running counter 70 the will Of the Senate
And when that situation comes, as come
must. will ne yield to the Senate, or Insis
upon the Senate yielding TO him, evel
should it lead 70 q deadlock due 70 tn
lnlnnobility Of the contending agencies?
The people viii hope that Mr.. Harding
a. President. will surrender no part Of HI
Official duties or prercgatives 70 tn
naughty and ove-awiug Senate. There Is, q
ne saws, no reason why there should no
be cordial coordination and cooperation
but we all know what the Senate is il
dignity must be maintained at all ha2
ards. and will be as long as il can control
sufficient ma Jority TO override q veto b
the President In this attitude it is nc
partisan, but victim Of long heredity
II cliDgs tenaciously to the contentio
that the Senate is the superior agency
our system Of government.
The time surely viii come when Nj
Harding, as President VIII have 10 choos
between surrender Of principle and al
abandonment Of prerogatives that az
rightfully hls By virtue oi his Office, OF
contest al arms with the Senate Il
interestin 10 speculate as 70 what
will do when that criss comes VIII
surrender or hold e his own