The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-06
PALE AND WEARY HARDING ALREADY
 IN NEED OF REST
For Four Weeks He Has Been Working at Pace Never Before Attempted
 by Him
By ROBERT T. SMALL

Marion, O.. January 5.--tspeciaIo Senator Warren Harding welcomed | today the Masonic ceremonial which took him to Columbus to receive the unusual honor of being elevated st once from the third to the thirty second degree of the order. It of- l fered a break in the party routine of work and conference which has held him virtually n captive in his little private office ever since his 1 return from Panama a month ago. l At that time the President-elect was a picture of vigorous health, his face I tanned by the southern sun and his eyes
 pale and tired looking and probably for the first time in his life, is showing
 traces of irritableness
 l For the past four weeks he has been ! working at pace never before at 1 tempted by him. The strain is begin l ming to tell and those who have the
 senator's best interests at heart will welcome the day he leaves Marion for a | respite in the south before taking up
 the duties of the presidency.
 | \ l As a matter of fact, however, these
 duties are heavy upon him at the pres ent moment His correspondence is of ! greater volume now probably than it | will be at any time after he reaches the White House. large staff of clerks and stenographers is required to handle
 ;he incoming and outgoing mail.
 l Senator Harding, enjoying at first the novelty of the situation, set to himself l1n f,c r.f | ters He has tried to keep up this prac- l tice, but it is daily growing more and
 more arduous. If it were not for the conferences of the best minds,r I be- I lieve Senator Harding would answer every single letter he receives. He l likes to give a personal touch to his correspondence and is reluctant that Secretary Christian and his assistants are compelled to relieve him of so much of the work.
 WRITES OWN AUTOGRAPHS Even in the matter of requests for autographs, Senator Harding is obdur- ate and insists upon writing the sig natures himself. This statement may sound bit off but it is not an unusual custom in our public life for great men to let some confidential clerk do this
 work by clever imitation. Such a sur cease from the labor of penmanship had been offered to Senator Harding but he insists there shall be no "counterfeit- ing. He does not consider the actice I fair to those earnest and admiring per- sons who write in for signature. | Senator Harding, in the past, has been accustomed to great deal of outdoor exercise and recreation and the close confinement of office work the past month plainly shows it's effects upon him. His exercise consists of scarcely h. z. separate his own house from the Chris tian home, where the executive offices are established. Once in the executive offics he does not know a moments rest. It must not be imagined that all 1 of the senator's conferences are being conducted in person. The long distance telephone is forever ringing at head quarters. and the Presdent-elect spends a great deal of time at this end of the wire.
 SHOWS BRAIN FATIGUE There are evidences in Senator Hard ing of brain fatigue, as we'll as bodily weariness. No man in such a short space of time has ever received so much advice as he He is fairly groggy with 1t. Much of this advice, of course has been asked. but a very great deal has been volunteered The senator is look ing forward to the time when he can nave lew uayS to hImSel1 in which to digest it all
 Starting out to deal with the interna- tional situation. the Marion conferences have widened until they have included virtually every subject under the sun. MT. Harding has lent a sympathetic air 10 all of his visitors. no matter what their station in life. and he has sent all away feeling that he will give particu- lar attention to each one of the various subjects they have discussed with him. 1 T found Senator Harding most sym pathetic has been the report of every visitor, no matter what his mission. All of this has required great deal of tact and in many cases has involved a remarkable display of patience Sen ator Harding has faculty. somewhat rare in public men, of attributing only the best of motives to those who come 1 in contact with him. He seems to sense the sincerity of q person better than any man the writer has ever seen. and he feels this sincerity is entitled to every consideration by him. Very often the Harding conferences begin at the | breakfast table. The luncheon hour brings no let-up, for the senator usually l invites two or three Of his callers to
 that meal and discusses matters with i them there. Quite frequently the din- ner hour is occupied in the same man ner. On the days when visitors are l few, Senator Harding spends hours at his desk in dictating. Taken by and large, it may be said that when his pre- l inauguration vacation comes he will