The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1921-06-27
PRESIDENT MUST
RECONCILE MANY
DIFFERENT VIEWS
MUST BE PARTY LEADEl
MUST BE PARTY LEADER
So Tangled Has the Situation
Become That Some Republi-
can Leaders Have Discussed
Sending Steering Committees
to the White House to Ask
for Help.
(By David Lawrence).

(COpyrlght by the Daily TimeS.)
Washington, June 25.-President
Harding has found it necessary to ap-
ply the executive accelerator to con-
gress. He has been reluctant to fol-
low in the footsteps OF other presi-
dents who drove congress with firm
hand, and he has resented the sug-
gestion that he should dictate to
both houses. But, after a lapse of
two months and a half, it has become
apparent that the extra session of
congress will be fruit1ess unless the
executive forgets his oft-expressed
ideas about the complete separation
of the functions of the executive and
legislative branches of the govren-
ment and accepts the role of party
leader, which made it possible for
Presidents Roosevelt and Wilson to
get results in congress, and which
President Taft subsequently admitted
that he, too, should have done early
in his administration.
The situation today is strikingly
parallel to that which existed a few
months after Mr.. Taft was inaugur-
aed. Congress was then led by
Messrs Aldrich and Cannon, who had
pronounced views on the tariff with
which Mr. Taft felt hesitant to take
issue. There are no two leaders in
congress who WELD as much power
as A1drfch and Cannon, but in their
places have arisen strong groups re-
presenting class interests. The danger
to Mr. Harding's legislative program
lies in the inability of the republican
leaders in either house to adjust the
dffferencec between the various
groups. The leaders, therefore, are
really anxious for executive help.
So tangled has the situation be-
who foresee trouble at the polls a
year from this fall, when the present
house is up for reelection, have dis
cussed among themselves the advisa-
bility of sending steering committees
to the White House to ask for help. /
Meanwhile at practically every
meeting of the cabinet, the President
has been urged to take a hand Wig
orously and insist that congress con-
centrate on the tariff and taxation to
the utter exclusion of every other
legislative proposal, however import
ant.
Thus the situation has been drift
ing without tangible results. Mr..
Harding has about decided to do a.
little driving, first, with gentle
hand, and later with firmer appli-
cation of executive pressure, if nee
essary. He realizes that the possible
loss of congress to the democrats in
the middle of his own term would
mean certain disaster to his own poll !
tica1 fortunes. The fmpatience of the
country for action by congress on it's
legislative program has been so pro-
nOunced that it is not exaggeration
to say that evidences of real worry
over the political outlook are begin
ming to accumulate on every side. I'm
questionably Mr.. Harding will seek
to convince members of congress that |
their fortunes are inseparably bound l
up with those of the executive in the |
common problem of satisfying the de-
mands made by, the people in the last
election for restoration of nor-I
malcy.
Thus far the house has proved it.
self more responsive to popular feel
ing than the senate.
By slashing military and naval ap-l
considerable money has
been saved which a generous senate
would otherwise have appropriated.
There is an undercurrent of senti-!
ment. however, in both houses that
IL some progress had been made on
disarmament therel
might have been an even greater eco-I
nomy. Disarmament talk is no long