Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-23
GOOD INTENTIONS
Of HARD|NGPLA|NLY
SHOWN IN SPEECH
Pledges His Best, Not the I'M
possible, if He Gains
Presidency.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

| MARION. Ohio. July 23-No one
who heard the speech of Senator War
rem G. Harding accepting the repub-
lican nomination for the presidency
could have failed to be impressed with
| the utter earnestness and good in
tention of the man.
| Entirely apart from the skillfully
worded phrases ana well balanced
sentences. almost scientifically COM
posed TO give the mi minimum of offense
! and the maximum of comfort to the
great body of voters whose ballots
are wanted next fall, the republican
nominee revealed personality of
simple but solemn appeal. He pledged
achieve the impossible. but to do the
Der: ne could with the immense job
of the presidency if elected.
The speech satisfied its hearers. who
than that-it thrilled and enthused
them. With all due respect to the
length of time Senator Harding has
been in public life, he was still an un-
known quantity to the republican lead
ers. Every man is an unknown guam
tity so far as presidential campaign
ing is concerned until he is once nomi-
mated. The republicans came here to
size up Harding. Was it wise for him
to stay on the front porch? Was he a
mixer? Was he capable of the task
intrusted to him by the republican ma
tional convention?
Answers All AfnrmatIvely.
All the answers to all those ques
tons were enthusiastically in the af-
firmative. More than one republican
who had been urging that Mr.. Hard
ing leave the front porch and go tour
ing went away believing that if the
senator would confine his campaign
speaking to a dozen or so prepared
speeches either in Marion or in three
or four big cities like New York, Chi
cago and Boston, he would make just
as effective a campaign as could be
made by -platforming all over
the country.
The speech of acceptance was ac-
claimed by the republicans who heard
it as a masterpiece of exposition, an
eloquent and thoughtful presentation
not only of republican doctrine, but
of the pathways of safe and sound
administration in a troubled era.
1t was apparent that the portions
of the speech referring to foreign
policy struck deep chords of approval.
Unquestionably as time has elapsed
covenant of the league of nations, as
the wearisome debate on the Lodge
reservations and the vigorous cam
paign conducted by Senators Borah
dHu johnson mas implanted certain
Impressions of new and strange ways
for America in her foreign policy un-
der the league, so it was easy for
Senator Harding to touch the notes
of a foreign policy of MckinleyS day
and gain thereby a hearty response.
This was an audience that seemed
tired of present-day troubles. domes-
tic and foreign. and appeared eager.
ever so eager, to go back to the old
days, If 1T was only to speak of nor
NAL times in fond Renaissance that
might bring realization itself.
Back to Party Traditions.
1t was backward that Senator
Harding looked to get guidance for
the future. back to party traditions
and party principles. And as he de-
| nouneed by implied and sometimes
explicit allusion to the conception of
leadership IN the presidency which
Woodrow Wilson had introduced, the
crowd seemed to grasp readily the
kind of administration which Senator
Harding was visualiZing.
Senator Harding plainly marked
out as his policy an unceremonious
end to the method and manner by
which Roosevelt ard Wilson sought to
dominate Congress and those about
them. He promised reversion to the
calm councils of Harrison. of McKin-
ley. OF Ialt, all IOur' men incidentally
having derived that inspiration of the
presidency in the mid-western atmos-
phere.
Perhaps it was the series of para
graphs on labor: perhaps it was the
advocacy of return to intense ma
tionalism and an interest in world
affairs of only the most general and
least entangling kind; perhaps it was
the implied denial to railway en-
ployes of the weapon of the strike;
perhaps it was the peroration, promis-
ing fidelity and honesty-it would be
difficult to say what part pleased the
gathering of plain folks and politi-
clans, the strategists and MANAGERS,
the inspectors, so to speak, of the new
candidates personality. But nine
tenths of them went away very happy
and completely satisfied that the re-
publican national convention, whether
by intent or accident, had contributed
a straightforward, whole souled, dig
nified and honest candidate for the
presidency.
Copyright, 1927