The Washington herald., 1921-07-10
SENATE GIVES UP
TO HARDING AFTER
BRIEF STRUGGLE
President Wins Prestige
By Leadership and
Appointments.
ny MARK SULLIVAN.

By MARK SULLIVAN.
At the end of the fourth month
OF President Harding's Administra-
tion some things are so clear and SO
much taken for granted that 1t Is
dinicult to realize how different they
are than what was anticipated. 1t
Is difficult to realize that a year ago
when Mr.. Harding was nominated.
ana eight months ago when he was
elected, and four months ago when
he was inaugurated into ONCE, there
was wonder as to the degree to
which he would be subservient to
the Senate.
Even less than three months ago,
when President Harding made his
opening address to the present ses-
sion of Congress, he was still suffi-
ciently conscious Of this atmosphere
to utter an urbane but hrm warning
to the Senate to the effect that each
must respect the others preroga-
tive. All of this. recent though 1t
Is. now seems like something as far
rack as William Mckinley and
Mark Hanna.
Nobody talks any more about the
Senatorial oligarchy." The Senate.
far from controlling the Admins
tfation. does not even control itself,
and the question that Is uppermost
today is not whether the Senate is
going TO dominate President Hard
ing. but the degree to which Presi-
dent Harding must be led reluctant
ly to dominate the Senate. IL the
country is to get any action out of
the latter body.
The reasons for all this lie chiefly
in President Harding's unexpected
strength and the Senate's unexpect-
ed weakness. President Harding
has gone quietly about his job and
has done It well. The Senate for a
week or two talked somewhat ex-
citedly about the control II was 60
ing to assume over the government.
and especially over foreign affairs.
That came to nothing, and since
then the Senate has done nothing to
impress the public favorably, with
one exception.
This exception does not really
represent the Senate. Senator Bo-
rah's initiative in proposing an in
ternational conference for disarma-
ment. and his energy in pressing it
until an unwilling or indifferent
Senate voteC for 1t unanimously. is
the solitary act that has come out
Of the Senate in the nature of the
sort Of leadership likely to impress
the public and give the Senate pres
tige.
CnhInef WoFE. HARMONY.
Any fair review of President
Harding's four months in the White
House must credit him with a most
impressive record of achievement
In the first place, he appointed a
Cabinet of strong meo. Not less
important than this Is the fact that
he has kept this group of strong
men working in complete and hap
py harmony. Once in SO often a
fragment Of the kind OF gossip that
Is too common In Washington ex-
presses speculation as to who will
be the first to resign from the Cabi-
net. In this. of course. there is al
ways an implication of some rift or
other in President Harding's official
family. Tho truth. however, is there
is nothing IN this.
Probably President Harding S
greatest gift is that quality Of his
personality which has enabled him
to keep ten forceful men working
together vithout the faintest trou-
BILE either in being or in sight. That
he should be able to do this at pc
riod when the reorganization of
government departments raises an
unusual number of opportunities for
contention Is the most remarkable.
Appointments Win Favor.
Aside from his Cabinet. many of
President Harding's other appoint
ments have been OF a sort to en-
trench him very strongly in the
public favor. 1t would be difficult
to overestimate the amount of pres
tige he has got from the appoint
ment of Gen. Dawes, and for the
conspicuous way in which Gen.
Dawes has started out to make good
on his job. This one appointment
alone, together with the circum-
stances that have accompanied it,
the evidence of good faith in the di-
rection of government efficiency.
and the prospect of substantial
achievement in that line. Is enough
to give President Harding in any
quarrel that may arise with Con-
gress sufficient prestige with the
public to make him the winner from
the start
The appointment of former Presi-
dent Taft as Chief Justice is Of the
same sort. Mr.. Taft today is a very
popular figure. During the eight
years since the split in the Repub-
lican party the attitude of the pub
lie towards Mr.. Taft's personality
has become one Of increasing friend
liness.The good humor with which
Mr.. Taft on that occasion accepted
defeat, the circumstances Of his re-
conciliation with Roosevelt, and a
score of other things which are the
natural emanations of his hearty
and friendly personality, have made
Mr.. Taft today one of the best liked
of living Americans.
The mere fact that so many peo-
pie have seen Mr.. Taft and heard
him talk and shaken hands with
him is great asset not only to him
as Chief Justice, but is an asset also
YAY A.