The state herald., 1920-11-05

cal troubles are left outside for the
moment. Then the genial, easy go.
ing, good humored Harding holds
sway. Pushing back his chair a little
from the table, he will light one OF
his favorite long rough stogies and
look reminiscent.
Warren. why don't you tell them
how you got fired from your first
newspaper job" Mrs. Harding will
say turning twinkling eye on her
guests.
And Warren, rather reluctantly be
gins by saying "oh, they wouldn't be
Interested in that"
Then he tells about his first job as
a reporter on the old Marion Mirror,
zealously Democratic paper. Hard
ing, just eighteen. wrote up births,
marriages, deaths, met all trains, and
did politics ON the side. His boss
busy in politics. was out of town a
GOOD deal and let Warren write the
editorials warning him that they
must be fervently Democratic in tone.
You know some OF the best edi-
torials | ever wrote were for that
Democratic 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 campaign hats adopted
by Republican partisans during that
campaign. He got away with it for
while. but local Democrats began
to complain to Harding's boss abont
him allowing Republican TO get out
his paper. Then Harding made his
first political decision. 1t was either
discard the Blaine hat or be fired. He
was fired.
Il have been strong party man
ever since" Harding adds.
Then you may hear Harding tell
how he and boy chum between
them borrowed $500 and bought the
Marion Star after the sheriff had tax.
en- charge of the property. They
printed II one page at n time on
small job press-and II was the first
small town daily in Ohio. Harding
sayo. But the partnership broke up
when the telephone was introduced
in Marion. Harding. who had to get
all the advertising and collect news
as well. wanted to put In n telephone
TO save time. His partner said II was
a silly idea. Harding ordered II in
anyway and the partner coming back
to the Office was so angry that he de-
manded dissolution OF the partner
shin and insisted on being put ON sal.
ary.
Il put him on the payroll at nine
dollars week." Harding said, And
he was better on than was then"
But the young publisher struggled
along. setting up his own type often.
writing all the news. and soliciting
most OF the advertising. When the
Star grew to need u circulation mana.
ger. Mrs. Harding dropped her house.
work and took the job. She went
down to the Star ONCE every day.
kept the books OF all subscribers. col.
lected for the paper. hired the car,
riers and supervised the distribution
OF the paper from the time Il came
out Of the press.
in those days knew every sub.
scriber Of the Star and | knew Just
how much he owed on his paper bill."
Mrs. Harding said one day. She also
had her troubles with the newsboys.
one day a younrster ran n small elec.
tric wire around the press TO the rack
where Mrs. Harding pulled out the
papers.
When she put her hand down to
take out n bunch. she touched live
wire and rot n shock.
She started ON tho trail OF the OF.
fcnding youngstcr who had given her
trouble before and. having obtained
his mothers proxy after an altorca.
.ion some weeks before, promptly col,
Jared the young man and turned him
oyor hor knee and spanked him. A
few Sundays ago atty former news.
boys Of the Star all now prosperous
young men scattered In many cition.
came TO Marion They were gathered
on the from, porch with senator and
Nu. Harding
Where ia the boy Mrs Harding
fpankod7' Senator Harding asked
Five hands went up IN the crowd.
That Ia Mrs Hnrding's way. She In
frank. ontspoken. and the mos, inyct
crate campaiRnor Of tho two. She
nppcara To really cnjoy shaking hands
during n political affair and around
her homo here she Ia out from early
morning until after dark greeting
ylHitors