Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-05-03
FOSTERING The PRESIDENT
Chief Executives Life is a Problem
and a Burden.
HIS is NOT AN EASY PLACE TO FILL
Besieged Constantly With Requests
For onatiors-Invited to Join
Nearly Everything Under the Sun
No Bed of Roses.
By Frederick J. Haskin.

4 Nearly Everything Under the Sun
No Bed of Roses.
By Frederick J. Haskin.
Washington, D. c., May 2.-Presi.
dent Harding is now getting his frs
taste of those duties which contribute
most to make a presidents life prob
lem and burden.
During the past few weeks he agreed
to become member of variety of ma
tional associations, religious, sporting
and reforming He accepted a bull
pup, bought tickets for the Daffodil
ball for the benefit Of boys swim
ming pool, posed for statue and
portrait sketch, and gave $50 toward
Madame Curie's radium fund.
RefusalS are, of course, more nu-
merous than the acceptances Lim:ta-
tions of time, money and strength made
| it impossible for president to do all
the things the people want him to do
He must choose, in each instance. and
whichever he chooses, he cannot please
everybody.
This is the joker in the job Of being
chief executive Of the United States.
No doubt a good many of our pTesi-
dents who cheerfully assumed the trials
of signing bills and getting along with
congress would have refused the posi-
tion with dignity had they realized how
many statues they would have to un-
veil with appropriate remarks, how
many loyal voters would insist on
wringing the presidents hand, how
many times they would have to stop
and turn around in order to be photo
graphed in characteristic poses.
These are the duties-left out Of the
| constitution which make being 4
president one of the most annoying
jobs in the world.
Though the incumbent in office ac-
quires great skill in meeting his obll-
cations, for some reason he never
writes a guide book for his successors.
The value of volume on Things
Every President Should Know" by
one who has been there, would be in
calculable. Aside from scattered letters
and articles, no work Of the sort has
ever been issued.
AS 1t is now, each executive and his
family have to pioneer for themselves.
And it is rocky ground. Everything
they do becomes a precedent. To take
an instance from Mrs. Hard:ngs eX-
pcrience, a request came before inau-
guration for small donation TO be
sold at fair.
A Flood Of Requests.
Don't do It," said friend.
"Oh, l am glad to help" said Mrs.
Harding.
The week after, she saw what the
friend meant. Her mail brought over
3, 600 requests for small donations
which could be sold Or auctioned off at
big prices as coming from the prcsi-
dent-elect's wife. One handkerchief,
such as she had sent the first Tina,
meant one dollar. Three thousand
handkerchiefs. Ill for worthy enough
causes, would mean $4,000 not counting
the wages Of some one to buy the gifts,
some one to wrap and address them
and the cost of postage. You can
figure for yourself that this is more
than the presidents weekly salary
and Mrs. Harding's pin money Ger
tainly could not cover such incidenta!s.
The trouble is that all the activities
of a White House family arc given
publicity. To send donation to a
charity affair ard request that no mem
ton be made Of the source would rob
the gift of it's attractiveness. The as
sociation with the White House is what
the people want in such cases
So the president and his wife have
to pick and choose. 1t is hardest at
first because the novelty of new OK
ccutiye attracts an unusually large
number of people with the "gimmies'"
II the president is cautious in the hrst
weeks. he is not worried so much mter'
though there is scarcely day when ne
does not receive an imposing col!ec-
tom Of requests for gifts, autographs
invitations. photographs, and SO on
The tide rises and falls to a large cH-
tent according to the president hlm-
self, If he becomes known as joiner
but not much Of a giver, The mail
brings more invitations to JOIN ana
fcwer requests for money.
President Harding. we believe, is not
vet classified. He wants to be gen'ai
and reasonable and democratic, but ne
is already. no doubt, beginning to real
ize that his supply of these qualities
is limited No president has ever peen
able To meet more than small tfac-
tion of the requests, and they are
growing each term as there are more
people to serve.
Thus. when the president agrees So
cially to he honorable president OF some
! orcaniza ton which appeals 70 soll'
hobby Of his, he risks exposing h'm-
Golf Ia q delugc of invitations to JON
organizations he never heard of he.
fore. Such organizations arc wen
aware that the president could not
n,in~,e with them at their IuesoaE