The New York herald., 1922-06-25

NfW NUFk uffml0 BurSun.
Washington. ID. G.. June ss
The Harding Administration is shy
two functionaries who are supposed
10 influence the political policies OF a
party in power.
One is a Warwick. whose job is to
tell a President what not to do. The
other is an Official dispenser Of patron
age who o. KS the applications OF
party workers ambitious to lean up
against the national payroll.
Recent developments have rendered
the services OF a favored adviser to
the Administration unnecessary. for
the reason that the President has
taken over the job himself. Officials
and associates whose business brings
them in direct contact with the White
House credit President Harding with
having developed policy OF his own
for settling administrative and politi-
cal problems with rather more de-
cision than was the rule up to few
weeks ago.
His Grasp of Compiexi.ies.
His ready grasp of the complexities
Of the Congressional situation which
was making for divided authority, lack
of leadership and hurtful confusion
was emphasized in forcing the Senate
majority to adopt an intelligent and
cohesive program to govern future
legislative undertakings.
The ease with which the President
swept the bonus and other extraneous
proposals of a purely political nature
aside established his ability to bring
the Congressional leaders to a realiza-
ton Of their responsibilities without re-
sorting to the arbitrary methods
adopted by some Of his predecessors
1t Is conceded by leaders of both
houses that Mr.. Harding has asserted
his authority as to party as we'll as
executive leadership in such a way as
TO leave the promoters Of independent
and conflicting Congressional groups
no option other than to respect It.
Few IL any Of the men Of the two
houses who set themselves up as the
promoters of various blocs evidenced
any liki"g for inviting a showdown
with the White House. They were
perfectly willing to take advantage OF
the Presidents amiable temperament
to buster in the halls Of Congress and
to declare their independence of his
executive or party control.
But when the issue came as Il did
over the question of setting aside the
tariff in order to give the moro timid
Senators opportunity to annex the
soldier vote by recording themselves as
in favor Of the bonus. their bombast
disappeared and they tamely followed
the lines indicated by Mr.. Harding.
There are not now dozen Senators
on the Republican side Of the chamber
who question the power Of the Presi-
dent to direct their energies into leeiti-
mate channels Of public service when
ever he cares to do so. They ungrudg-
ingly accord to him tho ability to set
tie the notorious bonus agitation at
any time he elects to move in the mat
ter. And what is even more impor-
tant, they are anxious for him to do SO
as long as he shoulders whatever
measure Of responsibility there may
lie in the situation.
1t has developed in the last two or
three days that the President weighed
the legislative situation with care and
patience before he sent for Mr.. Lodge
the Senate leader. and told him the
time had come to adopt definite leg
islative program. The President lis
tened to many volunteer warwicks
who argued on both sides of the propo-
sition. 1t was quite natural of course
that those reflecting Congressional
sentiment urged him to adhere to his
policy of keeping his hands off legisla-
tive matters.
Appeals to People Urged.
Members of the Cabinet who fre-
quently are consulted by him in re-
gard to this situation advised recourse
tc the methods adopted by Mr.. Roosc-
welt and Mr.. Wilson. the application of
pressure Oh Congress from the outside
by resort to appeals" to the people,
which Mr.. Hughes, when Governor OF
New York, employed with telling ef-
feet.
The President seems to have nicely
balanced the advice of the conflicting
Warwicks and to have adopted his
own course in approaching the situa-
ton. He sent for Mr.. Lodge, the SEN
ate leader. and Mr.. Mondell, the party
captain Of the lower house. Some OF
the associates of both Mr.. Lodge and
Mr. Mondell entertain the opinion that
the Presidents instructions to the two
party leaders were firm. clear cut and
specific.
The substance as understood by the
members of the House was that Mr.
Harding was convinced that drastic
change in the policy of the party in
Congress must be adopted at once. He
did not threaten to use the "big stick"
or anything of that sort. but he did
venture the prediction that If the un-
satisfactory condition in the legisla-
tive branch of the Government were
not corrected the people of the coun-
try will use "big stick" of their own,
and be fully justified in doing so.
This warning proved most effective, /
chiefly for the reason that Congress
sional leaders realized the Presidential
view was more popular throughout the
country than their own. The Presi-
dent has been generally commended
for the success Of his initial UNDER