Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1922-09-08
THEY LIVE AND LEARN,

When our earnest Republican
friend the Boston Transcript, clam
orS daily in double leads for lead
crship in Washington ii forgctS the
Republican campaign in 1920, it
forScts the strategy of the Republic
can General Staff, it forgcts the sig
niiicance OF Mr.. Harding's nominal
tion and the implications Of the
victory in November.
The American people in 1920
voted against Presidential leader
ship, and they are getting the kind
Of government for which they voted
There is no leadership in Wash
ington, but in all fairness to the Re-
publicns they never promised lead
ership. In fact, they promised that
there would be no leadership in the
sense in which that term is COM
anonly understood. Let us be fair
to them. The Government has brok-
en- down under their administra-
ton, but that is because the theory
on which they obtained control
proved to be unavoidable and not
because they have been false to
their pledges. When the CORES
pondcnts describe President Hard
ing affectionatcly As "a good old
scout" they described the kind of
President he was intended to be
and that the American people must
have known he would be. The fact
that IA good old scout" does not
measure up to the responsibilities
OF the Presidential office in another
matter.
Mr.. Wilson was Il leader and
easily one Of the most dominant
figures that ever held the Presidency
In time of war the Constitution
makes the President much more
than leader. 1t places in his hands
a power that no other ruler in the
world exercises. 1t is a power so
Stupcndous that its Ii mutations have
never been defined.
In the war Mr.. Wilson exercised
the power that the Constitution mad
delegated TO him. and he exercised
il without faltering or hcsitating.
Many excellent people were Hppall-
ed when they contemplated it. They
were aStoundcd that so much auth
Gritty should be vested in a single
man. They never stopped to ask
whether The President was using his
authority wisely and prudcntIy.
That phase Of the question did not
interest them. They did not ask
what would happcE if he failed to OK
Cri this authority. All they could
sec was this enormous power cent
cred III the hands Of a single indi-
Vidual. to be employed according to
hiS discretion.
Il also happens in time Of war
that far all practical purposes Con-
grcSS ceases to be a co-Ordinant
branch Of the Government. No mat
tcr how tactful the President tries
10 BE, Els requests are In effect
equivalent to commands. TO the
average Republican Senator and
Representative il was gall and worm
wood that a Democratic President
should be in the White House at a
time when the Constitution and com
mon consent make the President
virtually dictator. While hoStili.
ties lasted they voted for the meas
urcS that Mr.. Wilson respectfully
their feelings by eloquent protest,
against the dictatorship of tn,
White House.
BY the time the campaign of 1920
began they had succeeded in con
vinCing a large percentage Of the
voters that the President was AZ
autoCrat. They could not pOnt tt
specific case in which lie hat
usuTpcd power. but they bad NJ
I;Giriiii, IN proNiuu that I've had al