The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-23
DUTY HEAPED
ON PRESIDENT
ON ALL SIDES
Demands Would Make Hard
ing Responsible for Polite
al, Moral and Economic
Support O! Universe.
is CALM UNDER STRAIN
BY MARK SULLIVAN

WASHINGTON, d. c., June 23.-I
the evolution of his administration !
when he is solicited to be not merely |
president but Atlas. A catalogue of
the demands and solicitations which !
everybody in Washington knows are
being made on President Harding
would put him in the position of being
responsible for the political, moral and
economic support of the universe.
Both temperamently and by policy,
President Harding would like TO con
fine himself within the constitutional
boundaries of his official job as presi-
dent of the United States. but he is
besought by score of powerful agen-
cies to accept responsibility for many
other things.
Reluctant to Yield.
The pressure which is just now most
acute on him is in a field in which he
is most reluctant to yield Probably
there has hardly been a day this week
when members of his cabinet and
other Republican party leaders and
business men have not been clamor-
ing for him 10 take the leadership
which congress does not have within
itself. II is A final conclusion on the
part of these advisors that unless
President Harding takes leadership of
il congress will more or less disinte-
gratn into a number of groups, blocs
and factions. out of which no speed
or Compactness If action can be ex-
pected
President Harding is also besought
to accent responsibility for the for
tunes of the Republican party. Many
of the best of President Harding's ap-
pointments, and some Of the wisest
and most forward looking of his ac-
tions have rested on a non-political
basis
Disappoints Machines.
When President Harding spends
weeks in search and finally selects the
best man he can possibly find for post
after he has to FILL the Republican
party organizations in the various
states remind him that while the ap-
pointments are splendid, they don't
help to keep the party workers IN
linn The local party machines, espe-
,ially in some OF the southern states
we're particularly displeased over
President Harding's refusal to throw
some 10000 post Offices open to the
party workers.
President Harding is also besought
TO accept responsibility for the ecr-
nomic imurovement of the United
States These conferences President
Harding is holding with bankers are
not normal part of the presidents
job. They arise out of the demand
that he shall accept leadership and re-
sponsibility for early Improvement IN
business conditions. These confer
ences are a pooling of wisdom under
his leadership. as to what can be done
toward making business better.
Economic Pressure.
Along with all this President Hard
ing is under steady pressure and So
licitation to accept responsibility for
the normal and economic recovery OF
that part of the world which lies out
side the United States. In some ways
this pressure is the most powerful OF
all. 1t comes not merely from impor-
tant persons both here and abroad
but ii also comes from circumstances
Again and again, when something is
attempted that applies to the United
States alone, it turns out that our
country can make no progress until
the whole world is stabilized
Anybody who watches President
Harding as he goes through all this
pressure from day TO day, is likely to
get a sympathetic feeling for the pres
ident's unhurried and unruffled pa
tienCe. There is never a sign of those
snap decisions with which men of a
different temperament occasionally dis
pose of crowded affairs President
Harding is not that kind of an ex-
ecutive. He gives real thought 10
everything that passes over his desk
He has markedly that kind of admin
istrative ability which consists in del
egating authority and responsibility 10
others. and he has around him, not
merely in his cabinet but also in tha
men whom he has appointed to other
important positions, a group of person
alities who are able to live up to u
degree of responsibility.
Copyright 1921, by the New York
Evening Post, Inc)