The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-04-23
BY MARK SULLIVAN.
National Political Correspondent Of the
Intellig encer.

By mAhh SOLA4f AN
National Political Correspondent Of the
Inteuig encer.
Washington. April 80. With the Co.
lombian treaty out Of the way. inc
ground * now cleared for IN" great
new measures of the present session.
and as the administration takes up tn
business Of making its conStruCi!N"
record II is interesting {" make a sur
vcy Of The field as il lies before w..
The " iSh Of President Harding. which
II" expressed in asking the senate TO
Jake up the Colombian .r"aty as the
FIRST act Of his administration. was
based on two motives. both Of when
were in the nature of L clearing OF the
ground. He wanted the Colombian
treaty out Of the way, IN the first place.
as a prelude. a &!gn of amity and act
of Justice combined. which should be
the opening move in his policy toward
all Latin America. His idea was that
before asking Mexico TO meet the ohll-
cations toward our citizens and our nd =
ton arising out Of revolution. We should
tirSb prove 10 Mexico and to all Latin
America our own disposition to live up
10 every possible demand Of Justice to-
ward them
rr"sidcn, HardiuG's second motive
was one or house AMI ing. so to speak.
This particular treaty has bcrn hanging
tire for eight years and tho controversy
with Colombia which it IS supposed to
close is eighteen years old.
The first and most important aspect
OF the field is the good will with which
President Harding starts in to make the
record Of his administration. You can
go up and down Washington in the
,,.i,h i,tI Of
man that We AL have without finding.
even among the most jcalously partisan
opponents, any who fails to speak gem
erouSly of the start Pre- Sidcnt Harding
has so far made. For the most part
this is just the natural impression made
by the increase OF acquaintance with
his personality.
Critics Give Praise.
Even tho rlost suspicious critics have
been moved to MAKE generous ConCcS-
sions based on President IlardiuEs bear
ing in public; on his patience in the trc-
mendous strain Of an opening adminlS-
tartion on the firmness which has been
difficult for a man OF his kindly tenn
permanent, hut which he nevertheless
achieves under the spur OF determine
tion TO do the right thing: on the pains
that every one observes he has taken TO
get good men for his appointments. This
is an effort which in the nature Of
things cannot always be successful. and
which, therefore, Is more APPARENT to
those who watch the white House close
~ than Il can be to the public At large.
Finally. his critics have been impressed
with The simple qualities of truthful
ness and directness which shine wildly
out OF his transparent personality.
From this aScendenCy OF President
Harding in tho judgment OF Washington
flows tho first important fact in any
survey Of the field. That fact is that
l'rcsidcn, Harding is the leader. No
other individual and no group seriously
contends with him for this prestige. At
the time OF President Hardine'S nomi-
nation tho theory was widely hold that
in the Republican management Of affairs
Pre- sidrnt Harding would fiji. so TO
speak. the role Of general manager. and
that the board OF directors in the same
picture would be the Republican leaders
IN the senate.
This theory, It may h. added. was
shared by several Of those same Repub-
lctn senate leaders themselves. In tho
campaign this theory became one OF the
two or three major issues in tho shape
Of the slogan that Harding was going
to be the creature of senatorial dig
ar"hy."
This theory Is now utterly disrroved.
AS il has turned out. President Harding
has made just two addresses 10 tho SEN
ate, and in both ne has. if YOU choose to
express 1t colloquially. "put the senate
IN it's place" II is doubtful If there ts
any parallel in our history for this
twicc-repeated declaration OF = Prcsi-
dent to the senate and In III" presence
Of the senate that there must BE- on its
part on expectation Of any surrender OF
executive prerogative.
Notice Served In Senate.
ON the first occasion in december he
said: Something has been said about tho
Senatorial oligarchy.' OF course. every
one hero knows that 10 b" = bit Of high
~ imaginative and harmless fiction.
When, nv responsibilities begin in tho
executive capacity | shall he as mindful
of the senate's responsibilities as | have
been jealous for them as member: but
L mean at the same time to b" just as
insistsnt about the responsibilities OF
the executive. Our governmental good
fortune does not lie in any SURRENDER Il;
either end OF the avenue. but does i" in
the coordination and cooperation, which
becomes the Two III d SIo|N tu'N ''P''-
sentative government.
The second occasion was III tho adj
dress at the opening Of the present Sos
sion in which he told the senate with
the greatest possible gentlenrSS OF Ian
suage. but with complete frmncsS "f
spirit, that in our foreign affairs they
must remain completely within tho Inn
its OF their constitutional function and
must not attempt anything in the natur"
OF foreign policy which is tn" prcroE-
alive Of the executive. This admonilon
the Scnat" has bowed 10 completely.
The foreign affairs which President
Harding referred to will be ono of f"nr
fields in which. roughly. tho important
business Of tho present session will
divide itself. In this field Of foreign
affairs President Harding and his soc
rotary Of state are now fun"tionlnE