The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-29

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President Harding IL now getting
his first taste Of those duties which
contribute most to make . presi-
dents life . problem and . burden.
During the past few weeks he
agreed to become . member OF =
variety Of national associations. re-
ligious, sporting and reforming. He
accepted . bull pup. bought tickets
for the Dalfodil ball for the benefit
OF boys swimming pool. posed for
a statue and portrait sketch. and
gave $50 toward Madame Curie's
radium fund.
Refusals are, Of course. more
numerous than the aeceptances.
Limitations Of time, money and
strength make it impossible for .
president to do all the things the
people want him to do. He must
choose, in each instance. and which
ever way he chooses, he cannot
hope to please everybody.
This is the joker in the Job Of
being chief executive Of the United
States. No doubt a good many OF
our presidents who cheerfully as
sumed the trials Of signing bills and
getting along with congress would
have refused the position with dig
nifty had they realized how many
statues they would have to unveil
with appropriate remarks, how
many loyal voters would insist on
wringing the presidents hand. how
many times they would have to stop
and turn around in order to be
photographed in Characteristic
poses.
These are the duties-left out Of
the constitution-which make being
a president one Of the most annoy
ing jobs in the world.
Though the incumbent In once
acquire great skill in meeting his
obligations, for some reason he
never writes a guide book for his
successors. The value Of volume
on Things Every President Should
Know by one Vho has been there,
would be incalculable. Aside from
scattered letters and articles, no
work of the sort has ever been u
sued.
AS it is now, each executive and
his family have to pioneer for
themselves. And it is rocky
ground. Everything they do be-
comes q precedent. To take an in
stance from Mrs. Harding's expert
ences, a request came before in
auguration for a small donation to
be sold at fair.
"A Flood Of Requests.
Don't do it," said friend.
"Oh, 1 am glad to help" said Mrs.
Harding.
The week after, she saw what the
friend meant. Her mail brought
over 5000 requests for small dona-
tons which could be sold Or auc-
toned off at big prices. as coming
from the president-elect's wife.
One handkerchief, such as she had
sent the first time, meant one dol
lar. Three thousand handkerchief,
all for worthy enough causes,
would mean $4,000, not counting
the wages of some one to buy the
gifts, some one to wrap and ad-
dress them and the cost Of postage.
You can figure for yourself that
this is more than the presidents
weekly salary, and Mrs. Harding's
pin money certainly could not
cover such incidentals.
The trouble is that all the activi-
ties of White house family are
given publicity. To send . dona-
ton to a charity affair and request
that no mention be made Of the
source would be to rob the gift of
its attractiveness. The association
with the White house is what the
people want in such cases.
So the president and his wife
have to pick and choose. 1t is hard
est at first because the novelty Of
a new executive attracts an un-
usually large number Of people
with the "gimmies." II the presi-
dent is cautious in the first weeks,
he is not worried so much later,
though there is scarcely a day