Evening star., 1921-05-15
ny y. q. MESSENGER.


is regarded as a coterie of
friends, well established, II has ar
rived" How about the rest of the
country-how is the personnel re-
garded away from this self-centered
community:
The reports which come in declare
that the administration has taken"
well. elsewhere. Only friendly and
favorable comment is heard. and even
from democratic sources come inti-
nations of a Willingness to give the
new crowd a fair show to make good.
President Harding's personality and
that of his associates in the admin
istration has had much to do with this
gratifying state of mind on the part
Of the public, it is thought here. o!o
habitues of public and political llfe
of the National Capital say that the
I new President is glad handler ana
friend-maker of the first water. II
is a certainty that he has denied MIN
self less to the public than seVeral
Presidents who have preceded him.
President Harding's manifest ana
sntensely sincere manner pleases
neonle who come in contact with him,
and is the first attribute of his per-
sonality which attracts attention ana
stands out in the high light. He is
a wonderfully good ''miXer without
the Sacrifice of the dignity or MS
high office-and that is a hne ART.
There is no question that the Amerl-
can people are jealous of the dlshl'S
of the presidential Office. Possibly IL
ia a reflection from ages ago. an
cestors veneration for the monarchica4
office. of whatever race they come
modified to suit the citizens OF re-
public.
The first gentleman OF Europe was
the afrectionate, yet respectful term
applied to the king of cousinis ha
tion overseas. and the nrst gem
tleman of America" can well De
applied. and is applied. to the chiei
MAGISTRATE of the United states
vbomsoeyer he may be at the time.
Newspaper men have had occasion 70
come closer and more frequently IN
contact with President Harding thah
some others of those who nave heio
the Office before him. and 1t can sa1eiE
he said that not a mothers son oi
them can truthfully point to les
sening of proper reserve ooserFapie
in President Harding as result OF MS |
frank and cordial mingling with the
public.
Vice President Coolidge has helped
to create the friendly feeling enter
tained here for the new admlnlstra-
,;on. His is somewhat different dis
nosition from that of the big, middle
wssterner. Mr.. Harding. He Is more !
of the canny New Englander. but ne
has agreeably disappointed some |
who may have fancied from their !
visualization of this thin-lipped. eau
tious gentleman that he was cold. he !
and Mrs Coolidge have been fairly |!
overw helmed with social attention |;
which they have reciprocated by ex- |
pressions of a generous appreciation |
Of the kindliness accorded them.
we'll liked in public and private life. |
They have helped to create that feel |
ing that the new administration has
established itself in popular esteem.
But what has done a great deal to
that end has been the way the whole !
administration, beginning with the
President, has buckled down to hard
work and accomplished results. 1t is
one of the hardest working admins
trations Washington has ever seen.
The heads of departments get down
to their desks. some of them by $50 |
and all of them by o'clock. That
habit has resulted in shaking up
Of dry bones in the departments. set !
ting a good il possibly painful /,
example to minor officials. The |
clerks, of course, are required TO be |
on their jobs not later than the stroke !
Of 9. II is easy to get access TO |
public officials under this administra- !
ton, IL the caller can show the least /
semblance of having legitimate bust !
mes with the heads of departments. |
Right now there is A great deal Of
political patronage business to be
public affairs. and the visiting poll
tician is having his innings.
~ \
The Congress is admitted to be
making splendid progress in achiev-
ing legislative results. The mass of
business which the House has trans
acted has been notable. especially for
an extra session of Congress and
considering the great number of new
men in that body. Naturally the
oId-timers, by virtue of their ex-
perience and length of service. have
set the pace. but the newcomers have
kept in good step.
II is noticeable what an interest
in general legislation is taken by
many of the new ones, especially
when Appropriation bills are up. The
two bills thus far acted upon. the
Navy and Army, have run into the
hundreds of millions in figures,
enough to make some of the tyros
gasp, il might be thought. But. bless
YOU, they seem never to turn a hair
over a s,upendously large item of
appropriation. They soon get used
to thinking in millions.
Interest In national republican pol
itics will be stimulated for the hour
wben the republican national COM