The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-07-02
PUBLIC WISH
IS LEADERSHIP
BY PRESIDENT
Confidence in Administration
Growing-Reins Will be
Given to Harding Without
Opposition by Congress.
SOL0NS DILLY-DALLY
BY MARK SULLIVAN

loNlLSdliy every "CIl lHlOIIIlGQ per
son in Washington now believe that
President Harding will have to take
toward congress the same attitude
Roosevelt did. This will be repugnant
both to his personal temperament and
TO his theory of government.
Harding, when he was a senator felt
as strongly as any other Republican
senator did that Wilson's regime was
dictatorial and that the presence Of
congress in the machinery of govern
ment had been minimized to an un.
fortunate degree.
same role of leadership that Wilson
and Roosevelt did will be wrench
TO all his past beliefs. But the thing
is bound to happen. When it does
come, Harding will find it much easier
to take control and exercise it than
either Roosevelt or Wilson did.
Roosevelt and Wilson had to fight for
their control and had to struggle con-
stantly TO keep it.
Harding's control will be given to
him without opposition. If Harding
had meant all along as he has not
meant TO seize the leadership of con-
gress he could not have built up a
better background. The strength of
the cabinet he chose. and the appoint
ments he has made in other fields
have given the public confidence in his
energy and in his wish to do things in
Il big way.
Confidence Grows.
If General Dawes follows out the
plans he has announced of summonins
to Washington 20 or so of the busi-
ness leaders of the country to reor-
:,
one more example of the kind of thing
that gives the public confidence in
the administration, as against con-
gress.
If there is dramatized a fight for
the reorganization of the government
in the interest Of economy and eff
cheney between 90 and 80 men who
come from various parts of the coun-
try and have the confidence of their
communities, and. on the other hand,
a congress resisting in order to hold
TO old privileges, the public will side
with Harding and Dawes and his vol
unteer assistants.
Dawes is an energetic person, with
an understanding of crowd psychology
and a genius for publicity. He will
be of great help to Harding. The
Dawes appointment, coupled to a
score of other things that Harding
has done, put him in such a position
that he will be the winner at the
start in any effort that he makes for
control of congress.
No Strong SoIons.
Not only has Harding a good start
toward prestige with the public. Fur
ther than that there are no strong
characters either in the senate or in
II y,,1fr
taking command. If there were
strong characters in the senate or in
the lower house the situation would
not have arisen. Harding did not
want and does not want to take the
leadership of congress. Both by word
and by action he has disavowed ii
again and again. But it is just the
lack Of leadership in congress. The
lack of ability on the part of congress
TO get things done of its own initia
tive, that is going to make Harding
take hold against his inclination.
The record of congress is really
pretty bad. It has been in session
eleven weeks and the brevity of it:
accomplishments is deplorable. Moth
ing illustrates the situation bette
than the effort TO achieve peace with
Germany. The senate passed one res
olution, the house passed another reso
luton They both aimed at the SAM
OBJECT and the only clash was owe
phraseology. A legislative body whlci
could not solve so simple a matter il
II weeks ought not to be surprised
it falls low in public respect
President Silent.
For II weeks, also the lower hous
and the senate pulled and hauled IN
effectually as to whether we shoul
spend $500 100000 or S500,0OO0OO o.
the navy During these two prolonge
and futile contentious there is n
doubt that at any moment Preslden
Harding could have brought solutio
by exerting the pressure or III
office.
The one piece of legislation tha
Harding has directly asked this cor
gress TO pass was the bill givin
Secretary of the Treasury Mello
power to reorganize our foreign loan:
Aside from this specific request tha
Harding made TO congress, he did
party leader announce in the begl1
ming that this congress would pass
taxation measure and a tariff measure
II is the delay as to these Nv
measures that has stirred up the coul
try and has caused pressure on Hare
ing to take command.
Nothing Done.
As to taxation il can almost be sal
that nothing has been done so ia
The senate finance committee has hel
some hearings. Most of those VII
attended them were special classes {
business men who wished minut
changes in the schedules. The hea
ings were dreary and desultory and
the end they were closed with a sens
of futility. On so important a subjet
as the revision of taxes. almost not
ing substantial has been done.
There is a group of leaders who b
lieve that in addition TO most of OIL
present taxes we shall have to hay
the sale tax. The bulk of the lowe
house of congress are opposed TO ii
sales tax. The leaders who believe
must come because there is no otht
way of raising the money, are mar
ing time. The consequence is tn;
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