The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-03-31
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL

BY j. T.. Jones
Washington newspaper men and their
guests got the thrills that come once
in a lifetime" at the hobby party
arranged by them in honor of PresI-
dent and Mrs. Harding. Justice Day
of the supreme court; Sir Auckland
Geddes, the British ambassador; Her
bert Hoover; Major-General Lejeunne
of the United States Marine Corps,
and Nine. G~alli-Curci, the worlds lead
ing soprano, were on the program, and
any n of them counts as a star
1t vas on the third day after Presi-
dent Harding had taken office, and
when he arose and related a story
Of a tramp printer" whom he had
befriended and helped to a better
place in life, he displayed a depth of
feeling that revealed the tender heart
which his intimates have long known
he possessed. And then, following up
the story, he said: IF there is some
where a human touch that awakens
disappointment into hope, that is the
finest hobby in the world. If in my
new responsibility | can, in under
standing and sympathy and in stern
devotion to country, find the touch
that transforms the disappointments
of yesterday into the fruitIon of to-
morrow, then | shall have practiced
the dearest hobby, to me, in the
world"
AS the writer of these lines sat
with a thousand others, spell bound
by the feeling rendition Of those plain,
simple words, We all had the same
thought, and the same regret that il
was not possible for all the people
of this great nation to have that CON
~prehensive understanding which the
voice and n of the man con
veyed. When the president had con
Guided his brief speech there was not
a red-blooded American in the great
gathering who but hoped for bigger
things from the nations new leader
than they had eve before expected.
The necessity that has arisen fer
pultlllS tlc oCISNS VII WI many tAit
phasizes the responsibility Of the
United States government with re-
gard to international affairs. The
new administration has taken up the
problems of establishing peace 1t
home and abroad, and the new con
gress, especially the senate, has a
mans size job on hand.
The federal budget system, which
is opposed by no one, but which the
same mo one" seems unable to figure
out to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned, is of the big problems in
the public business, since associated
with and growing out Of the budget
legislation Will come reorganization
Of the federal departments and other
executive establishments. This calls
for reorganization and Reconsideration
Of work and salaries for the govern
ment employees.
Soldier legislation, particularly as it
effects ex-service men. immigration
and naturalization, tariff and taxation.
Europe's debt to the United States.
and the economic and Industrial sys-
tenn, are all matters that find a place
in the public business.
In the moment of their deepest tr;b-
~ulations the packers land the coal
mining operators found islands Of
safety, if not actual salvation. in the
support that m to them from the
great business interests of the coun-
try who opposed the measures to regu-
late these particular interests on the
ground that the result of such legis-
lation would have a tendency to let
down the bars for the regulation of
all foodstuffs, clothing. building ma
terial, and the products of all indus
try.
Bills are pending in congress for |
the regulation of cold storage, air !