Evening star., 1921-03-05
CLOSE TEAMWORK
ERA USHERED IN
President Harding Proves He
Intends to "Sit In" With
Congress.

Congress has learned tndt fiesioeHI
Harding meant to be taken literally
when he said that during his admins
tration it would be his purpose to sit
down" with the committees of the SEN
ate and House of Representatives TO
work out agreements for the expedi-
ton of the public business.
Washington still was gasping today
over the friendly audacity OF Mr..
Harding in attending an executive ses-
sion of the Senate few minutes after
he had taken the oath of office. wood
row Wilson thought he was going 10
the extreme limits of executive prlfi-
lege in formally addressing the Con-
gress in public joint session. Mr..
Harding, it must be admitted, KNOWS
Congress better.
He knows that public appearance of
the President in House or Senate may
have telling psychological effect upon
the people at large, but such appear
ances generally have left senators ana M
representatives more or less cold. Mr..
Harding does not feel that real CO.
operation with Congress grows out OF
formal speeches. 1t goes much deeper.
The big work of Congress is in the
committees. These committees are all
powerful. For the most part they
make or break legislation. So Presi-
dent Harding is going to work with
the committees and with the Senate
in executive session when necessary.
President's Purpose.
By this single stroke Mr.. Harding
took Congress back to normalcy with
a vengeance. Back of the Presidents
first and most unexpected step was an
intention to challenge right at the
friendly cooperation Of his former
colleagues. Mr.. Harding had told
these colleagues that he wanted to
work with them in the closest pos
sible harmony. 1t was distinctly up
to the Senate. then. to prove that it
and would do its share to bring the
public business back to sane and
normal basis.
Mr. Harding. furthermore had heard
there was to be row in the Senate
over the nomination of Herbert
Hoover to be Secretary OF Commerce.
and that possibly one or two other
prospective members of his cabinet
might be held up temporarily as
sort of mild protest over the appoint
ments by two or three senators. Some
of Mr.. Hoover's closest friends were
perturbed over the published reports
that Senator Hiram Johnson of Cali
fornia implacable foe of Hoover, who
dared to oppose him in the California
primaries last spring when the re-
at stake, would ask that the nomina-
ton be not acted upon until he could
have time to prepare case against
the former food administrator. These
same reports had said that Senator
Reed. democrat. of Missouri. who
fought Mr.. Hoover openly and Vigor-
ously from the moment he assumed
direction of the Food Administration
during the war, would aid and abet
senator Johnson in throwing
Gle.
Expected Row Over Cabinet.
IF there was to be a row. President
ex,c,,v where he stood. He had Sc
lected his cabinet with the greatest
nossihle care and had reached de-
cjsions as to each member of 1t only
after weighing the pros and cons
with infinite pains. There was a par
ticular reason. he argued. Tor the
nresence of each man on the ca binet
slate So. without disclosing his in
tention to even the most intimate OF
his friends, he asked the Senate to
meet him in executive session ana
calmly waited in the Presidents room
until a quorum could be assembled.
Mr. Harding then told the senators
MA inIy that he wanted to go to work.
He felt the government had been at a
standstill long enough. TO work
efficiently, Mr.. Harding said. it was
necessary to have complete cabinet
about him.
, This cabinet had been selected. and
Mr.. Harding added that he felt de-
nendent upon each member or lt.
Senator's who have been in the public
service for many years could scarcely
believe their eyes when Mr.. Hard
ing, entirely at ease, did the un-
precedented thing of taking piece
of paper from his pocket and reading
to the Senate the names of his cab
met.
sweeps senate on Its Feet.
This personal act of nomination.
coupled as it was with a plea for
Immediate and favorable considera-
ton swept the Senate off its feet. and
in less time than it takes to tell il