The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-29
HARDING ID SERVE
 AS BALANCE WHEEL
 TOEXC|TED SOLONS
Already Worried About Tend- ency of Congress to h. fIict Punishment on
 Labor Bodies
By ROBERT T. SMALL

Fly ROBERT Y. SMALL
 Marion. O.. December 2s.--(speciaI)-- The more recent conferences in Marion especially those already held or planned with congregational leaders. have devel- oped the fact thu President-eiect Hard ing is to he the great balance wheel or ''governOr- of the powerful republican machine during the next adpiinistra- ton.
 MT. Harding Is to be the check upon the big republican majorities which will control the Congress he will call in ex- tra session soon after his inauguration on March {. These majorities both in House and Senate, are so overwhelming there will naturally be tendency to run wild at times and let partisan prej- Judgment.
 At times like these Senator Harding will be found standing sentinel
 Already there arc outcroppings of the influences at work in the party. influ- ences which would abuse if they could, the power the people have placed in the hands of the republican leaders.
 HARDER TO CONTROL NOW
 Many of these influences were at work at the Chicago convention, en- deavoring to have the party go on rec ord in it's platform for what would have amounted to a virtual denunciation of all the principles of prosressiy eism. 1t was easy enough to curb this element in the committee on resolutions. for the party was facing national election and had been out of power in the ex- ecutive government for eight years. But things are changed now. The party is going into power at Washington with majority behind 1t sufficient to carry through any sort of legislation that may be determined upon
 The Presidents elect has not discussed these matters outside of his confiden- tial conferences. but there is Increasing evidence that they are in bis mind Sen ator Harding is not what might bs termed a ptogressive Rather he has asserted in the past and been desig- reted as member of the reactionary group of the party Those who know thc senator best would place him per haps as a conservative or middle- g~ounder He does not believe in carry ing reaction too Tar and he is besin- ming to believe there is more in pro- gressveism than a mere name
 ATTITUDE TOWARD LABOR
 The attitude of the new republican Congress toward labor and labor leg islation may be said to be causing, some concern to the more liberal thinkers of the party. only by comparatively antf.s2r K at,isiDks Sep} oin of $Ae plat. form at Chicago. Many congressmen threatened by labor during the recent campaign. but reelected overwhe lming- ly, are said to be in favor of putting
 labor in it's place" at this time. when the party is in a position to snap it's fingers at any particular political ele- ment
 Senator Harding. it may be said. does not share these views. He will stop if he can, any blow aimed at the working man, for he believes the next four years are to be vital years in American his tory, and that they will be prosperous and happy years only if everybody pulls together, He will fight against strife and discord and attempt at all times 70 be concillatory. Senator Harding probably feels the Senate will be easy to handle, so he is going to give much attention in tho future to the situation in the House which will be more diff cult 10 control Senator Harding knows .he Senate, knows it's customs and it's temperament but, unlike most senators. he saw no service on the House side or the capitol and is not so familiar with the disposition of the lower branch of Congress. The new President will de- pend heavily upon the Senate to check the House but he will be ready al all times 10 check the Senate If 1t should be swept off its feet
 TARIFF BILL AN EXAMPLE
 That Congress will need lot of watching was evidenced recently by the manner in which a drastic tariff bill was rushed through the House of Representatives. bill Whlcft II is now quite generally agreed would not have helped the farmers out Of their present difficulties. but which succeeded Ia building up further i'll feeling abroad against tac United States.
 The proposal to shut out all imports of the necessities Of life for a time brought quick threat of reprisai not from Europe but from south America.
 Senator Harding is particularly inter- estod In South America, and he believeS that In the southern half of this hems- phere lies the greatest opportunity for the United States. At time when this country Is reaching out for the rich south American market 1t has been par ticularly regrettable to have threat of commercial reprisal come from that quarter.
 Mir. Harding is watching all these things closely. aud he is going to let the Congress leaders know that even in these short sessions they are in effect acting as part Of the new adminis- ,tration. Nothing that Congress can do. or win do at this time will affect the dying Wilson administration All it does will have it's effect upon MT. Fnrdngs plans and hopes. Hence the conpressional conferences which are in