Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-05
BOOM
FOR HARDING BEGUN
BACK IN YEAR 1915
BY ROBERT T. SMALL
1.eased Wire Service to The Journal.)
1901

Geased Wire Service to The Journal
Copyright, 1929
WASHINGTON. March 3.-Escort-
ed to Washington by a score of his
friends and neighbors from Marion,
Warren G. Harding, this afternoon
was familiarizing himself with the
details of his inauguration on the
east front of the capitol at noon TO-
morrow. The ceremonies of installing
the new president promises to be the
simplest that have ever been known.
Mr.. Harding has gone about ms
preparations for entering the White
House in the same simple manner he
has lived his fifty-five years. He
completed his inaugural address on
ly Yesterday afternoon and 1t prom
ises to set a. new mark for breVlty
and simplicity of style. In word
the address will be little more than
a pledge from Mr.. Harding to give
his best efforts to the work betore
him.
Humility an dan earnest desire to
bring about a better feeling in the
country will mark ME-. Harding's en-
trance upon the duties of the presl-
dency.
Boom Started in 1916
The president-elect's first engage
ment in Washington today was with
Senator Knox, of pennsylvania
chairman of the congressional lnaus-
ed to go over with the senator all
of the details of the ceremonies plan
ned for tomorrow. His quarters at
the Willard hotel were beselged to-
day long before his arrival.
Surrounding Mr.. Harding at the
Willard is a little band OF faithful
friends who came to washington
with him to witness the fruition OF
the hopes of four long years: 1t IS
not generally known, but IN 1910
there was a decided movement on
foot to nominate Senator Harding at
the time when Charles Evans Hughes
the new secretary of state, carried
away the honors. Disappointed IN
1916 the little band of Harding
boosters" began quietly to prepare
for 1920. They got little enough en-
couragement as time went on ouI
they kept the faith.
Friendship Wine Over Party
Mr.. Harding himself took about as
little stock in the movement as any
one could, but his friends never way
cred. These friends are not olo
hands at the political game. Most OF
them would admit they knew l LIE
or nothing about politics. But they
admired Warren Harding and they
thought he was made of presidential
timber. Several of these friends are
Democrats to the core. but when IL
came TO putting over their friend and
nClSIlUO lll6y WSlO AC%"NJ w "OA
party entirely.
At the head and front of the Har-
neutrality-suspicious. movement was a
big four who devoted themselves not
only to helping to nominate Mr.. Har-
ding but who made of Marion the
throughout the long days of the
campaign and the later days of the
best minds conferences. 1t was fit
ting that these four should form
sort of guard of honor on the Har-
ding train as it left Marion last
Grisinger and Jim Prendergrast and
Orley Rapp, and "Gink' Schroeder
with him as he began his pilgrimage
to the White House filled Mr.. Har-
ding with a joy which comes only
to a man who knows his friends and
values them.
zis Thsory of Government
The farewell ceremonies at the
frCnt porch in Marion yesterday aft
ernoon gave Mr.. Harding an oppor-
tunity to express in feeling manner
the appreciation ne felt in starting
for Washington and the perilous du-
ties Of the presidency as man with
honor in his own community. Mr..
I.U4'ulng told his neighbors that on
the day of his inauguration he would
address the people of the entire ma
tiCn in the same simple manner that
he spoke to his fellow townsmen. If
he were wanting in confidence, Mr..
Harding gained it in large measure
from the outpouring in his home
town. He declared he had theory
Of government that if you do for
the nation what you do for the COM
munity you do exceedingly well, be-
cause the nation is only the aggre-
gate of communities.
A great spirit. of Cancellation is
to mark the new administration if
Mr.. Harding is fortunate enough to
carry out the plans he has in mind.
dispatches that Mr.. Harding is not at
one with those members of his party
who are obsesSed with blind hatred
for woodrow Wilson. Mr.. Harding
is not a hater. He could not be even
if he desired, and he goes. into the
White House determined if possible
to bring about an era of good feel
ing. There will be no welding of
the "big stick" during his tenure of
the presidential office. He will walk
part of the Roosevelt maxim will be
laid away.
Mr.. Harding goes on the theory
that the best way to handle Will
them and talk things over, not to de-
| nounce them in the public prints.
He will even invite 'pygmy minds"
| to the White House from time to
time to see if he cannot enlist even
| their help in the public welfare.
IF l can do that which will add to
| the spirit of good will, if L can do
| something to promote good feeling, if
can do that which will increase the
confidence of citizenship and rever-
ence for government, 1 know l shall
| not have served in vain" said Mr..
| Harding.
The president-elect declares he is
approaching the White House in love
with the American citizenship and no
| man ever wanted the people to think
we'll of him as Warren Harding does.
There is no hatred in the American
people, he says, and certainly there
is none in his heart. He enters the
presidency with no axes to grind He
owes no one a grudge. Regardless
of what may have been his secret
thoughts and ambitions, Mr. Harding
| had little thought that he would be
president of the United States up to
the hour of his nomination at Chi
cago. The life of a senator was i'm
mensely pleasing to him. But the
presidency came to him and he is
possessed Of a feeling of overWhelm-
ing gratitude. If the radiation of
good will from the White House will