Evening star., 1921-03-14
NAMING Of HARVEY
BRINGING PROTESTS
Complaints Pour Into White
House and Congress-Not
Asked by Senate.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Protests against the appointment of
Col. George Harvey as American am
bassador to Great Britain have been
pouring into the White House. as
we'll as to folks in Congress who are
presumed to have influence with
President Harding.
These protests seem to be based
upon the idea that, without rejecting
in the slightest upon Col. Harvey,
some distinguished American whose
republicanism was based on service to
the party other than mere criticism
of the Wilson administration might
be given the place. While there is
appreciation of the fact that the brill
liant pen of Col. Harvey did more
perhaps than anything else to dis
credit President Wilson before the
eyes OF the world the protesting re-
publicans insist that there are other
men in the republican party much
more closely identified with republi-
can tradition and foreign policy who
ought to be considered.
Strangely enough, after all that Col
Harvey has written to remove any
taint Of wisconsin from the makeup.
it is still remembered that he was the
original Wilson man and that except
for George Harveys writings, MIR.
Wilson might have remained a college
president. Insofar as the republicans
are reverting to republicanism. they
cannot forgive Col. Harveys original
sir-the creation of Wilson-much as
he has done in the last few years to
atone for the same.
Most Sensational Incident.
Broadly speaking, the opposition to
Col. Harvey's appointment is the most
sensational incident of the Harding
administration thus far. Whether or
not he is appointed, the true story of
why he was selected will ever be a
source of curiosity. 1t is known that
the leaders in the Senate have not
asked for the appointment. 1t is
known that some of them while ad-
mitting Col. Harvey's brilliance ques-
tion whether he is temperamentally
fit for the post. Politics enters into
it somewhat, too, for the writer has it
on reliable authority that Col. Harvey
is not considered by President Hard
ing as one responsible for the nominal
tion at Chicago last June.
1t will be recalled that many pub
lished reports said that Col Harvey
helped nominate Warren Harding
There is good reason to believe that
President Harding held a contrary
view as to how he was nominated and
that he still believes Col. Harvey was
didacy of. Will Hays than anybody
else at Chicago.
Not "Original Harding" Wing.
Col. Harvey and William Boyce
the man who was chair
man of the ways and means committee
of the republican finance organiza-
ton, are intimate friends. Mr.. Thomp-
son has been largely concerned with
deficit and he is power in
republican circles just now. But the
point is that Col. Harvey comes from
A wing of the republican party which
has not always been considered the
"original Harding" wing. Neverthe-
less, this bit of friction has been to a
large extent patched up, and the fact
that Col. Harvey has been virtually
decided upon for the ambassadorship
to Great Britain is taken as proof
positive that Warren Harding has for
given such activity as Col. Harvey
against him at Chicago.
There is another question involved
future OF Harvey's Weekly. which
has been SO bitterly critical of the
Wilson administration that unless il
were to adopt a similar role toward
the Harding administration it would
have to proceed on an altogether new
line of tactics-a defensive and apollo
getic role. Some of my British friends.
who are curious to know the reasons
for the appointment. say they have
been told Mr.. Harding is as eager to
have Harveys Weekly discontinued as
others in the republican party are
anxious that it should be continued.
These latter folks think Col. Harvey
ought to be on the job to answer demo-
cratic criticisms.
Expected to Be Acceptable.
If these were normal times the
British government would decline to
accept Col. Harvey because of his
anti British writings, but every bit
Of information available here indicates
that Great Britain will not make an
issue over the appointment, but will
accept the distinguished author with
out protest.
Co. Harvey became very close to
Mr.. Harding during the latter part
Of the summer at Marion. He is
credited with the authorship of a
large part of the famous speech
Mr.. Harding turned his back
on the league of nations. 1t was
just prior to that speech that Elihu
Root cabled from London urging Mr..
not to say that the present
league. "is dead" That cablegram.
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