Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-07
PRESIDENT HARDING
|SLOS|NC PRESTIGE
ASLEADER Of PARTY
Chiefs Not Pleased With
the First Two Years of
Harding Administration,
Leadership Is Needed
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Leased Wire Service to The journal
(COpyripht 1927

Copyright 1929
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6.-Presi-
dent Harding is today in mid
stream with the tides of his party
running against him.
Personally popular, respected and
esteemed, Mr.. Harding has failed to
convince many of the influential
leaders of the Republican party that
he has made the best use of his op-
portunities in the last two years.
They are not ready to say he shall
not be nominated for second term
in 1924-they are sympathetic with
any effort he may make in the next
two years to retrieve his mistakes,
and they wish hi msuccess, because
they would rather renominate him
than face a contest inside the party,
but the prevailin. ession = that
Mr.. Harding is not sufficiently ag.
gressive, not possessed of enough
initiative to lead the party in these,
its most trying years of regenera-
tiGn.
For the Republican party is in
process Of evolution. Leadership
never was more essential. The ma
ton is aching to be 1ed-it is tired
of following will-o'- the-wisp politi.
clans, and It is even more tired OF
congress and it's diliatory ways
President Harding is being criticized
more for his lack of leadership than
any one thing. The country accept.
ed at first his argument that the
legislative and executive branches
OF the government should be kept
independent, but now it believes Mr.
Harding has taken his own doctrine
too literally.
The Pendulum Swings
I'VE voted in 1920" said one Re.
publican editor, "to do away with
the dictatorship of Woodrow Wilson
but we didn't expect the pendulum
to swing back the other way alto.
gether. We must have oneman lead
ership."
And that expresses the sentiment
of most Republican leaders with
whom the writer has talked; they
think Mr.. Harding has made his
greatest mistake by allowing con-
gress to run it's own course without
regard to the best interests of the
party.
AS if. illustration of this point.
Republican chieftains without ex-
ception, and dozens of editors unani-
mously agree that Mr.. Harding's
: veto of the bonus was the most pop
/ ular act Of his administration. Why
, Because he over-ruled congress. Be-
cause he took the bit nj his teeth
and did courageous thing in a pc,
lltical year. Because he followed
his convictions. Even many who
think he was unwise to veto the
soldier bonus bill concede his cour-
age.
The thing which hurt Mr.. Har-
ding more than anything else was his
attitude during the rail and coal
strikes. There is also widespread
notion that Mr.. Harding wabbled
in handling the shopmen's strike.
Many in his own party will never
forgive him for being willing to re-
store seniority rights to the strikers
and a great many more-for laboc
ing men are more numerous than
employers-will never forgive him
for permitting the attorney gener-
ell to imply the injunction process to
labor.
Still another group commends the
! use of the injunction as a weapon
OF protection for the public but in
sists that the railroad executives
were equally guilty of conspiracy to
restrain commerce If two or more
Of them entered into agreements or
understandings which by concerted
action against their employees had
the effect Of restraining interstate
commerce. The injunction is criti-
cized by them as one-sided.
No Group Pleased
Clearly Mr.. Harding didn't please
any group. He gave an impression
Of indecision, which has been seized
upon by critics as a characteristic
trait Of his whole administration. In
looking to 1924 there are Republican
leaders who think there are other
men in the party of more command
ing personality than Mr.. Harding.
They say again and again they hope
the president will not run-that he
will voluntarily withdraw-"I guess
he's tired of the job anyhow" is the
comment the leaders usually make.
Part Of this is based upon a fear
that Mr.. Harding will not be strong
enough to win even if nominated,
and that the Democrats may get back
into power if Mr.. Harding is forced
into the race. The revolt inside the
Republican party is dangerous but
not we'll organized. 1t will gain mo-
mentum and support from elements
not now friendly to it if the next
two years of Mr.. Hardin's admins
tration are like the last two.
Irrespective Of how one feels about
the merits of the questions upper
most in the public mind, the fact is
the country will demand that an i'm
pressive start, at least, be made on
the following problems:
First, the governments relation to
agricultural credit must be more
positive and helpful.
Second, the inequitable phases Of
the tariff must be removed and the
elastic provisions of the law actu-
ally applied.
Third, further reductions in taxes
must be made and this means cor
responding cuts in government ex-
penditures.
Fourth, whether by insurance GER
tificates or some other plan the bonus
settlement of the soldiers and sailors
and their friends can not be ignored.
If it can not be satisfied, it must
he n1acate5 The veto of the bonus