Evening star., 1921-02-22
HARDING Confident
DAUGHERTY IS 0. K.
President-EIect Is Greatly
Pleased in Appointing Old
Friend to Cabinet.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


ST. AUGUSTINE. Fla, February %.
Only those who know President
elect Harding Intimately can appre-
ciate the pleasure it has given him to
name Harry NJ. Daugherty as At
torney General in his cabinet. That he
would appoint his longtime friend
and political associate to high
position in thA government has been
known from the day the ballots were
counted. II was unthinkable that any
partisan criticism Of Mr.. Daugherty
could deter Senator Harding, and Mr.
Harding at last has confirmed the
statement made in these dispatches
some time ,ago that the fight against
Mr.. Daugherty was serving only to
strengthen him.
Mr.. Harding, it can truthfully be
stated, would rather have given up
the presidency than to feel the ac-
ceptance of that high office would
cut the pond of friendship between
him and Harry Daugherty. Further
more, it can be said that Mr.. Harding
is willing that his administration
shall stand or fall by the record Harry
Daughcrty will make as Attorney
General of the United States. He
| believes. as he has frankly stated,
that Mr.. Daugherty will make
great Attorney General
Whatever the faults Mr.. Harding
they never can say he is wanting in
, loyalty to his friends. That same trait
of loyalty extends to his home town
of Marion, and it is taking Mr.. Hard
ing back there just for a day before
he leaves for Washington to assume
The ''homefolks" of Marion want to
see Warren once more as war
rem" and before he becomes Mr..
President" And he is going back
| there for a sort of old home week
celebration the night of March l.
| which is inherent in Mr.. Harding,
would have made certain the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Daugherty in the
| cabinet if there had been no other
! consideration. But Mr.. Harding was
not guided by this sense. 1t is true
It was this feeling of loyalty and af-
| lection toward Mr.. Daugherty that
| made Senator Harding hotly resent
| ful of what he considers unjust at
! tacks which have been made upon
Mr.. Daugherty, but Mr. Harding, in
J appointing Harry Daugherty as a
| member "f his Official ramily. knows
! he is keeping in close association
: with himself the Sincerest friend he
mas in the world-a man who would
gladly lay down his life for his chief
J President-elect Harding feels he Will
! need Harry Daugherty during his
| tenure of the White House even more
4 thdn Mr.. Daugherty needs or desires
| the ''vindication" of a CABINET appoint
ment. No one knows the history. the
1 achletements: the record and the
than Mr.. Harding himself. The two
| men have been intimates for more
| than a score of years. Their lives
have 1ntermingled. Their friendship
has been tested in the fires of ad-
| versity as well as nurtured in the
| sunshine of success
The careers of Harry Daugherty and
| Warren Harding have run parallel too
long for any one to imagine that the
| election of the latter TO the presidency
| could sever the ties of a generation and
| more. This is especially true in view of
| the fact that ii was largely due TO the
| steadfastness sand courage of Harry
Daugherty that the Opportunity to be
! President OF the United States came to
| his friend and idol, Senator Harding.
more than once during the primary bat :
i ties OF last spring; more than once dur
| ing the hot and trying early days of
the Chicago convention last June SEN
ator Harding considered the adyisabi
of retiring from the fight, content as
he was TO spend the rest Of his active
political days in the United States Sen
ate, where he had found so much that
was congenial to his placid, even tenn
permanent.
But Mr.. Daugherty is born fight
er and he would not listen to anv
suggestion of retreat. 1t will be the
| same in the cabinet. Mr. Daugherty
will be the fighter of the administra-
tion and he will be fighting always
for his President and chief. Mr.
| Harding knows he will need Harry
| Daugherty, and he knows that Mr.
Daugherty is making a personal and
financial sacrifice 10 go into the cabi-
net. For twenty years Mr.. Daugherty
has been the President-elect's closes,
ha
find him in that same capacity
For time there was the suggestion
that Harry Daugherty might be the
| col. House" of the incoming admin.
istration, but IL was stated in these
| dispatches weeks ago. from Marion
that Mr.. Harding wanted Mr. Daugh-
crty in the cabinet, SO that the latter
! might, al all times, have jhe privilege
of he White House and that he Nigh,
he free 10 call upon Mr.. Daugherty fol
counsel without offending any of the
members of the official family.
Copyright ~1221a