The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-04

Sshingtcn. March l.-Whatever
~ - may b.. Warren @. Harding
Nhye classines himself - an edi-
80 pabisher and printer. proud Of
- %prolossional accomplishments
~ TTninins. His luck-charm and
pot Sacred possession II . print
80 rule, carried in his pocket
WAerever he goes; and his close
4kiends ray he would rather set
1tick Of type any day than grant IN
/ 4odio0ee to IN. ambassador.
FOR more than thirty years Mr..
asdlng's bread and butter has
6eqp earned by the Marion Star,
yhoUe responsibilities he assumed
Nnder heavy mortgage and whose
4asly years he nourished at the ex-
yense Of going hungry more than
once himself. Since his nomination
Tor the presidency he has faced
only one public ordeal that aroused
bnoticns he could not master. That
Vas the temporary severance Of the
ties that bind him to the Star. On
election night, when group Of his
employees came to congratulate him,
his voice broke and his big frame
VS. shaken by sobs when he un-
dogtook to speak Of the separation
that must be the price Of his tri-
umph.
u Election day was Mr.. Harding's
sh birthday, and all the interests
II his lifetime had been rooted in
NE Immediate vicinity Of Marion.
He was born at Blooming Grove,
Ohio, in an adjoining county, the
z6on of q country doctor. George +.
Harding, who still visits his pa
TENTS about Marion in the one
horse carriage of the old school
practitioner. The new presidents
mother has been dead for many
PEARS and his father is remarked.
Lost His Job.
Young Harding attended college
at Iberia, Ohio, and then tried
school teaching for year before
he began his newspaper career. Al
ways q partisan and Republican,
he, lost his job as reporter by
wearing in the presence Of his
Democratic editor a blaine hat,
The, stove-pipe which was a badge
.of support of James G. Blaine.
-ssAlthough 1t was pioneer news
paper age, MIR. Harding's mind ran
TO progressive notions even in the
day when the Star still was a liza
bility. He broke with his first part
ner over the question of installing
. telephone in the newspaper Office,
. proposal which the partner held
to be impractical, extravagant and
revolutionary. Although he retains
. controlling financial interest in
the Star, now, a successful news.
paper, Mr.. Harding will occupy but
. titular relationship to it durint
his presidency.
Three times before he has hell
public Office. He served in tn,
Ohio legislature and as lieutenan
governor Of the state, and six year
ago he was elected to the Unite'
States senate when he became F.,
member of the foreign relation
committee. In 1916 he was chair
man Of the Republican nationa
convention.
! ms,s Over 200 Pounds.
81 In personal appearance the ney
president ia a man to attract sec
ond look in any crowd. He carrie
his two hundred and ten pound
without q hint of obesity, althoug
he il not quite six feet tall; and hi
massive features round out an in
preston Of force and distinction
f1s hair is iron grey-almost 81
ver grey-making sharp contra
With the unusually heavy bla,
eyebrows that almost mask q pa
oetcalm grey eyes. It is only
1bDose that his face takes on Il
aspect of severity seen 20 often
his photographs. When he tall
~ Or listens the lines are broken by
smile that radiates cordially.
n President Harding walks slowl
talks slowly, and makes up
mind slowly; but he gives the IL
preston Of polished deliberate,
rather than Of over-caution
attachment. He is a good conve
nationalist and . good listener, al
has q faculty of getting throul
embarrassing situations with lit
show Of embarrassment.
~ an orator MIR. Harding new
has rated himself as witty or ell
n qusnt. though he attained conside
aba success few years ago on Il
chAltauqu4 platform. He seldo
attempts Ane word pictures
humorous passages, but cultivat
Aeltberate. unembellished ute
ana.
b never gives the impression
ottIfod dignity. He likes to kno
men we'll enough to call them |
their first names and to slap the
On the back when he meets the,
He likes to shake hands and NAL
conversation about the wealth,
\ and the crops, and when he do,