Evening star., 1921-02-22
WILSON TRAIT Seen
|NHARD|NG ACTION
Characteristic of Sticking by
Friends Shown in Daugh-
erty'S Choice.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

something like chuckle-perhaps
ii might be better called a smile of
satisfaction--came out of the White
House today and spread it's imagin-
nary echoes over the snow-covered
grounds Of the Executive Mansion. II
was simply that Warren Harding had
contributed by a single remark more
10 the Nindication of the policies of
woodrow Wilson. human being. than
any historian Of the future could pos
sibiy apply 10 Woodrow Wilson. Pres
!dent. -
When President-elect Harding told
the correspondents at st. Augustine
that the opposition TO the selection of
Harry NJ Daugherty as Attorney Cen
eral had only served 10 strengthen his
determination TO appoint Mr.. Daurh-
erty TO that office because he was his
trusted friend. he expressed natural
emotion which has been back of Mr.
wilson's steadfast loyalty to his own
friends in public Office whenever they
nave been attacked. For instance:
Nhen public criticism of Secretary
Daniels appeared to be growing Mr..
/" liSon refused 10 consider a change
in the Navy Department portfolio. be-
cause. as he expressed il. Mr.. Daniels
was his trusted friend.
When attacks upon Secretary Baker
began to accumulate during the war
and when Mir. Baker offered To resign
the President wouldn't listen to a.
and oa the contrary wrote him "A let
ter saying he had absolute confidence
IN him.
When the campaign against George
| treel became hottest Mr. Wilson
turned aside all suggestions that Mr.
Creel be removed. and insisted thar
Creel was his loyal friend and could
do no wrong.
When Postmaster General Burleson
was under attack Mr.. Wilson again
declined to believe that the attacks
were anything more than indirect at
tdcks on himself. Mr.. Burleson had
been loyal friend and was retained.
Has stood by Friends.
Although there have been instances
here and there in which Mr.. Wilson
has forsa ken his friends and given
them cause for chagrin by and large
he has stood by most of the personal
friends whom Sc elevated to public
office. For this policy he has been
when Mr.. Harding stands out firmly
severely criticised and that's why
for his loyal friend and political com
panlon of many years and appoints
him Attorney General. notwithstand-
! ing the editorial criticism and skepti-
cism concerning Mr.. Daugherty's fit
ness for the job. the people still liv-
ing 1.-THE White House can't help
but extend a disinterested hand of ap-
prorai for that part of Mr.. Harding's
! spective of their merit.
The last thing that Harding man
would like to admit is that in any re-
spect the President-elect is starting
out like his predecessor in preferring
equation he knows than utter strane-
to appoint personal friends whose
ers whose idoisyncrasies might be-
come source of embarrassment later
on.
Significance in Selection.
But entirely apart from the per
sonal considerations involved in Sc
| lecting Mr.. Daugherty. there is
far deeper significance in the ap-
pointment than appears on the sur
; face. Every one who has been on the
inside of the discussion of the last
three months as to whether or not
! Harry Daugherty should be appoint
ed Attorney General. knows that
there have been two points of view
one tha; Mr.. Daugherty never had
|, besn big enough lawyer in Ohio to
Justify his elevation to the head of
the Department of Justice and the
other. that if Mr.. Daugherty wasn't
appointed it would be a severe set
oaek 10 party organization. for il
! would be such a conspicuous example
or political ingratitude as to inter
! fere at the outset with the splendid
! development of Il unified republican
! organization. the continuance of
| which would be Indispensable to Tho
reelection OF Warren Harding in
1924
Politicians look far ahead. and the
Sagaclous ones insisted that even if
Mr. Dausherty'S qualifications were
hot extraordinary, he should be re-
warded so that everybody in the or
sanlzation would know that Warren
Harding rewards the men who do
things for him.
The second view prevailed and
along with it was the knowledge that
The head of the Department of
Justice need not be a genius as "A
lawyer. but simply a good executive.
The solicitor general and the seven
assistants to the Attorney General
are the legal experts of the depart
ment- The Attorney General himself
shapes broad policies and must be an
executive manager. able to conduct
negotiations with the world outside
his department and to keep several
thousands of employees working eff
ciently.
1t doesn't take a rema ri able lawyer
to be Attorney General any more than
1T requires naval or army officer
TO run the Navy or War department
Therefore, the proponents of the sec
Ond view won out, because they said
Mr.. Daugherty was a good organizer,
and would make a good Attorney
General. while at the same time the
political considerations involved in
the whole business would he SO we'll
met that Warren Harding could start
his administration with the enthusias-
tic support of the entire republican
organization.
Harding Trusts DauEhcrfy.
Mr.. Harding trusts Mr.. DauGherty,
and is ready to stand or fall on the
record the latter makes. AS far AS
the general public is concerned, just
now. it is probably disposed to give
both Mr.. Harding and his associates
n fair chance to make good while
persons who know Mr.. Daucherty in
tinately think the very criticism that
has been made will act as a spur to
achievement which will surprise those
who made SO bold as TO be skeptics.
Copyright. 1927