The New York herald., 1920-12-24
POUR IN
TO HARDING HOME
Hand Painted Neckties Vie
With Georgia 'POssum to
Give Christmas Cheer.
TAFT TO CONFER TO-DAY
Mrs. Upton, Rumored to Be
First Woman in Cabinet,
Talks With Senator.

Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
MARION, Ohio, Dec. 23.-Seven times
seven tabulators reckoning seven
weeks scarce could complete the roll
of the Christmas presents that have
come to the President-elect and Mrs.
Harding. For days mail carriers have
lurched out Mount Vernon avenue
bearing whole pouchfuls of holiday
gifts From morning until night ex-
press trucks deliver parcels of size all
the way from little finger to a pack
ing box. And none Of them has been
opened.
But Mr.. Burleson's mail persons are
not always gentle in their handling of
the heavy post. and side glimpses have
been caught. from the frayed and rent
ends of pasteboard boxes and paper
covered packages, of elaborate silk
ties Zone hand painted), of silk under
wear (and what will the common peo-
pie think of this?); of hats-mult!-
tudes. coveys herds and fiocks Of hats
even unto the four quart lid that
statesmen must not go without, or
cigars by the thousand, some bearing
the mail and revenue stamps of the
Republic OF Cuba, Of cigarettes Che
smokes 'em now and then from a case
made of G. o. p. elephant). of pipes.
presumably of the real Irish briar; of
silken muffiers and of walking sticks
and scarf pins galore.
Then there is the live stock. First
came Sam Bell. the 'possuIn. diverting
young creature from Georgia. He has
had the honor. has Samuel, of being fed
from Mrs. Harding's own hand. His
days are likely to be long in the land,
for neither the President-elect nor Mrs.
Harding cares for 'possum in the pot.
Four turkeys have gobbled proudly over
the presumptive distinction of perishing
to make a Harding feast and doubtless
more OF the strutting fowl are in the
express. Ducks. wild ones. wild geese.
venison, game OF all kinds have been
offered to the Hardings for their holiday
meal.
Many of the presents. II must be said,
have come from dealers In this and that
who may have the shrewd Idea OF ad-
vertising that their wares are being worn
by the President OF tho United States
in time to come. but this practical gem
erosity has only small place in the
veritablo deluge Of presents. Hundreds
of women have remembered Mrs. Har-
ding with odds and ends generally pleas
ing to the sex--fancy work. lace. charm
ingly done embroidery. doilies, sofa cush-
ions Both Mr.. and Mrs. Harding would
have been at pains to discourage all this
IL they had thought to anticipate 1t, but,
as the Presdent-elect says. The coun-
Try is big, and the people are generous
and kind hearted"
The President-elect said laughingly
to-day that he wished somebody would
slip into his stocking the answer to about
ten questions he could ask OF destiny.
Conferences have peen suspended for
Christmas, or will be after tomorrow.
when Mr.. Taft win have his talk with
the President-elect. 1t Is expected he
will have certain recommendations for
the Cabinet. Charles ID. IIilles for Sec
retary OF Treasury among them. and
that he will indorse the selection OF
Charles E. Hughes for Secretary or
State. Naturally some OF his time will
be devoted TO going into the Harding
plan for a world association to preserve
peace. and Mr.. Taft may be expected
10 stand alone II he fails TO become fa-
vorably interested. Most of the visitors
up to date are understood to have re-
ceived a happy impression from the
President-elect. and TO have concluded
that his idea OF guaranteeing peace by
the moral strength of the five great
Powers working through the Hague tri-
bunal and n world court is the most
practical proposal that has been sugt
gested.
The visitors to-day were Mrs. Har-
riet Taylor Upton of Warren. Ohio. who
was vice-chairman of the Women's Re-
publican organization: Myron r. Her.
rick. Harry NJ. Daugherty. Fred W.
Upham OF Chicago. treasurer OF the Re-
publican National Committee. and Mar
shall Field Sd. Especial interest at
tached 30 the visit OF Mrs. Upton be-
cause OF the hint thrown out by the
President-elect that IL Department OF
Public Welfare were created he might
place a woman at the head of IT, Mrs
Upton has been mentioned as a leading
possibility.