Evening star., 1921-03-04
nv RICHARD WASHBURN CHILD.
THE suthor is an intimate friend of President
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THE author is an intimate friend of Presiden
1IardingI
Woodrow Wilson came TO the presi
he locked himself up with his own think
ing.
Warren G. Harding has done great
deal of loched-in thinking all his life
He will keep himself accessible to learn.
ing.
1t is a better method for a world il
distress and in rcstlessness, where
events move fast: it is better because
il founds action upon the facts they
are. rather than upon facts as they
were or still worse facts as one wishes
to conceive them: it is better because
ii may lead an ascent to idealism from
a basis of realities. rather than a
descent to realities from the insHcuri-
ties of any SCntimenta,ity. no matter
how noble
In this fact about Harding is the
best answer to 4 request 10 writ" an
appre relation, too short for any attempt
at an extensive critical analysis. In
his ability TO ascend to idea ism upon
the firm steps of facts will lee found
the test of the man who on March 4,
several days after this is written. will
he President of the United States. IL
goes without saving that every Ameri-
can hopes that he will meet that test
II goes without saying, too. that ] am
. one of those who believe that he will.
characteristics of the Man.
One of the foundations for this be-
lief is the natural sincerity of the
man. 1t is his sincerity and not his
demonStrativeness which makes him
lovable to those who see him closest
and clearest. He is not the kind OF
man who even in private life is
slapped on the back by his best
friends. nor would he slap them on
their backs. He is slow to arrive at
a friendship. but unless his friends
are mistaken he is still more SLOW L"
relinquish one. His relationships with
individuals have deep seated quail
ity; such relationships come only
when affection is created, at least in
part by full faith in Il mans desire
for fair play.
One learns enough after few
weeks with him to know that If Mr.
Harding ever failed in justice it would
be the fault of his vision or the cor
ruption of his information: it would
not be because he lacked the Zeal to
reach out even more eagerly than
most of .us reach out for justice nor
because he is usually lacking in abil-
ity to find it in the end.
His com pa nionship is not talk9tiv
He is an uncommunicative man. There
is a feeling on the part of many who
see him that he considers loquacious-
ness waste. He listens politely. but
numbers of persons state their I'M
preston that he has received nothing
from them. They lack wisdom: Mr.
Harding absorbs in his own way. He
would absorb much in companion
ship of utter silence. He is an un-
caDny and often unSIlSDpcteQ dDSOrDsr.
Compared with Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt used to absorb
looking through telescope. He could
do il. too. He had the feel of wide
situations. Harding absorbs through
the microscope and seeks the Under
standing of the whole fabric by know
ing how il was woven. He muses.
over the threads of the fabric, and
while he is musing the public and the
newspapers will always fret and fume
and say that Harding lacks decision.
Sometimes he does: ii is when he tells
himself that he does not know the
particular piece of goods well enough
to slash at it with the scissors of con-
viction.
This is when his enemies will say
that he is weak and vacillating: but
1t is not weak and vacillating to
avoid galloping up paths which must
be retraced by ones successors, 1t is
not weak and vacillating if the scis-
sors make the cut at least with frm
hand Harding. when he Is working
hard, and with his zeal or service to
America. will cut at last with a firm
hand. He will do a great deal of alb
Sorbing first and he will not beat on
bass drum while he is doing it; he
will only appe ar to be perplexed-
Some one said to him once, us it