Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-04-22
Editorial Digest
Putting the House in Order.

Putting the House in Order.
| Although most Of the Presidents mes
sage to Congress was devoted to a dis
,cussion of domestic affairs, and he him.
self has emphasized the necessity Of
putting the American house in order,
nevertheless editorial comment is con-
hned very largely to foreign affairs
This may or may not be an index of the
relative Importance to the press of cx-
.e and internal policies. In explana
tlon OF It's observation that most of the
newspaper comment upon President
; Harding's address has been directed to
! that part dealing with International af-
la1rs and the problems of peace" the
ihliadelphia North American (progres-
siVe) points out that there is not "a
single suggestion in reference to domes-
! tlc issues which is likely to provoke any
serious controversy even though these
! matters moro intimately concern the
people. individually and collectively"
Lack of controversy. however. is ac-
counted for by the Pittsburgh Gazette
Times trepubiican) in the popular con-
currcnce" which it confidently assumes
will be accorded the President lin his
domestic policies which look to the resto-
ration of integrity in American govern
ment and business" and even the Brook
Ign Eagle independent democratic)
agrees that the country will not quar-
! rel with Harding's domestic policies"
. 1T is precisely because the Presidents
admirable exposition of our domestic
questions fully responds to the temper
and purpos" of the nation" according
to the Springfield Union Lrepubican).
mat 1t may be passed with little COM
ment other than approval"
1t is quite true that for the most
part editorial opinion on that phase
or the address iS iicfipct1y Favorable
irrespective of party. The Roanoke
Times (democratic) feels that Mr..
Harding shows that he now has
comprehensive and fairly accurate
the legislation needed to cope with
them" To the Minneapolis Journal
independent republican, his treat
ment of internal affairs is the coun-
sci of prudence and common sense"
which the st. Louis Post-Dispatc CHI
Independently admits sis. in the
main. excellent" and. adds the Jersey
City Journal Independently. will re-
celVe very general approval"
Disagreement arises, however, over
the extent to which the Presidents
discussion comprises a definite pro-
gram. The Newark News (independ-
enO finds it "singularly free from
exhortation to do or not to do specific
things" and the New Orleans Times
Picayune independent democratic)
agrees that "he does not undertake
definite program" On the other hand,
the message has proved to the Cleve-
land News (republican) that the
President is "a master hand at pro-
gram making" while the Butte Miner
(democratic) sees it as "a clearly de-
fined course" which lis sure to have
almost immediate good effect in the
stabilizing Of conditions" Rather
| than failing to advance a concrete
plan. the Houston Post (democratic)
no ha pro hot
"refrained from placing himself in
the category of overload, telling Con-
gress what to do and how to do it."
Instead. he has outlined the matters
left it where the responsibility be-
longs-with Congress-"
The Kansas City journal (republi-
cam believes he has presented a pro-
gram which is mot the dictatorial de-
mands of a President issuing his or
ders to Congress, but sound conclu-
sionS, submitted to Congress as the
recommendations of it's executive col
league"
In the discussion of the tariff the
Chattanooga News tdemocratic) finds
Mr. Harding most Disappointing
and his pleasing words about re-
ducing governmental expenditures"
impress the Memphis Commercial APP
peal (democratic) as nice phrases
more easily put than realized" The
grets the Presidents failure ito take
advantage of his opportunity to
make the limitation of armament
part of the economic program" and
the Christian Science Monitor (Bos-
ton. independently also feels that tine
cause of disarmament might have
been definitely promoted" by more
concrete recommendation than that
of approximate disarmament" which
the Wheeling Register (democratic)
holds may have no meaning or be
capable of many, and "can only en-
gender more suspicion
The Toledo Blade republican, be-
lieves that the people of limited in
come. the bearers of the country's
burdens, will have more reason to
rejoice than any others" in the dec
laration against a Shifting Of bur-
dens." But the Great Falls (MontD
Tribune tdemocratic) does not share
the Blades faith. Congress- it
says. mas never been able to devise
any safeguard against the shifting
of tax burdens in the past. The
sentence sounds well. but it means
nothing, 50 far as we can see"