The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-03-04
HARVEY May
BE OFFERED
BRITISH POST
Man Who Had Large Part
in Bringing Wilson to Presi-
dency Watches Opposition
Triumph.
INTERESTING CAREER
BY MARK SULLIVAN


WASHINGTON. March 4.-Presi-
! dent-elect Harding has given very lit
tie consideration or discussion to for
eigh ambassadorships. except in two
cases. The one that is most nearly
fixed is that of Colonel George Harvey
to Great Britain, and this appointment
can be expected TO be sent to the
senate almost any day after the new
senate commences to sit.
1t has been made known to Mr.
Harding that there are reasons for
urgency in the British appointment
beyond any of the other diplomatic
/ selections. Colonel Harvey is in Wash
! ington today to be a personal be
holder of what if you care to look
at it that way, is his unique consun-
nation of ingratitude rebuked in the
! passing of Mr.. Wilson and ambition
in the triumph of Mr.. Harding.
! Colonel Harvey's selection will con-
tain as many elements of interest as
almost any act that the new president
will have to do.
! Unique Career.
| Viewed for the moment from the
point of view of Colonel Harvey's per-
|
in American history to equal it. Here
, is a man who did more than any other
one man to bring Mr.. Wilson to the
preside ~, who indeed. conceived the
| idea that the comparatively obscure
and most unlikely head of a university
was proper timber for the presidency
of the United States; who not only
,fathered the idea, but nursed it as
| we'll, and later, with the minute care
of a devoted parent. handpicked and
manoeuvered the whole series of
events that led to the governorship
of New Jersey and the leadership for
the presidency.
At a certain point Mr. Wilson repu-
dated Col. Harvey's guardianship and
banished him from what had been
close intimacy to complete exile from
his person and administration.
Becomes Critic.
Thereupon Col Harvey took the
cards that fate had handed him, made
himself a most able and potent critic
the administration had. largely created
and almost wholly formulated the
issue which Mr.. Wilson fell into dis
favor, made himself a dominating fig
ure in the opposing party, had a di-
recting hand in naming the Republican
candidate who was to defeat Mr.. VIII
sons party and humiliate Mr.. Wilson
himself, and now ends with what can
!; be described without exaggeration as
, the most desired post within the gift
of new president.
Not only is it among the posts most
desired on general grounds, but it is
the post in which Col. Harvey now
takes up those personal relations with
European statesmen, in formulating
new world order which Mr.. Wilson
was compelled to drop in failure.
AS a feat of sheer brains, as a
personal accomplishment contrived
through what is no less than the high
est conceivable political genius. The
achievement is almost beyond imagin-
. alton and is without parallel in either
American or English history.
Naturally, the thing could not be
done without exciting intense animos-
ties and even causing among not d
few unbiased persons judgment which
on a human basis will be adverse.
Unique Skill.
But viewed imperSonally, In the
; Judgment of the present writer. Col.
Harvey's part In American politics
during the last four years, the native
understanding of politics as science.
: and the penetration which saw the
issue upon which Mr.. Wilson could be
attacked, the skill and force in contro-
, versial literature with which this issue
5 war formulated, the initiative and
: boldneSs which persuaded the Repub-
] lican senate to see the possibilities or
the issue and adopt it at time when
: the senate itself was intimidated by
: awe of Mr.. Wilson's place in the world
and nearly all politicians thought the
! American public was oyerwhe lmingly
favorablesto the league of nations, the
, intrepidity which founded a personal
organ gor the purpose of leading the
attack the skill in political manipula-
tion by which Col. Harvey secured a
dominating hand in the making of the
Republican platform on the league of
nations and very considerable hand
in choosing Mr.. Harding as the candi-
date, is decidedly the most picturesque
thing in recent American politics. To
, describe 1t in dramatic detail would
, take volume, and the volume, II ade-
quately done. would have as gripping
an interest as any novel
!. Selection Commended.
Quite apart from his political serv-
ices, and quite apart also from the
distaste with which friends of the
, league of nations idea will receive the
! appointment, Col. Harvey's career not
Iuefeiy JuSIiIieS tHe Seiect1On Dut has
, aspects that peculiarly commend IT, as
!. editor of the oldest American maya
: zine OF high literary level. Col. Harvey
belongs in the same class with such
literary predecessors as Walter PAGE
, who was editor of the Worlds Work,
|, John Hay whose vocation was litera,
. ture, and James Russell Lowell. Low.
. ell, in fact was a predecessor of Col
Harvey as editor of the North Amer.
> lean review. and it is an interestins