Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-03-05
ny i. rrcdcrick Es.ar,.
Washington Correspondent OF The
Times DISPATCH


Washington Correspondent OF The
Times Dispatch
WASHINGTON. March 4-Survey-
ing the nrst year OF the Harding ad-
ministrntion impar.ially and as u
whole one finds an unusual mixture
OF almost monumental achievement
and dismal failure. There have been
unpromiscd successes that will long
stand out, and there have been hit
ter appointments.
In the field OF foreign affairs. the
administration has performed brill
Hantiy. 1t has seized inviting op-
poriunities and has made much OF
them. perhaps tho most % them IN
tho field or domestic AFFAIRS the ad
ministration has accomplished little
to which i; can point with genuine
pride
Has Little Eject.
Its failure 10 do better ny tn-
people At home. To bring cEester
relief 10 hurdcued business and moro
hope 70 millions unemployed mus,
he charged, in lsrE. measure. 20 \
leaderless. and to 4 pu-poselsss. not
20 say. a recalciirant Congress 4;
no time within this generation n
les=s has Congress ove-wheiminE-
~ dominated ny single parry WORK
cd with so little effect
How much responsibilities for that
state OF affairs Is To he assumed by
tho President himself * an IMAM
swershle question. Certain IL is,
hnovcver. that he has deliberately 70
fused. even whNn most vigorously
pressed TO impose his viii uron III.
Housc and Senate. - has d"clu-
ed 10 assert his leadership Of M
party as whole Nc has kc7' his
hands or the processes ot l"ejsls
ton.
Drives Instead Of Leading.
Occasionally the President has
snoken 10 Congress with authority.
He. has seemed at such times TO take
tho rcins into his own grip and TO
drive where he could not Lad. Rut
II, each instance. no has backed away
eventually, adherinc firmly 10
policy az nonintcrfcrencc with the
House aud Senate And. with M"
strong men within their member
ship IN take control, it is no wonder
that these bodies hsv. produced lit
ne I"E'Sldtl'U lnd' Is Epob,
Mr. Harding assumed tho prcei-
i"ncy March :. 1871, under one cnor-
nous handicap. in 30 far as domestic
policy is concerned. His party, in
IT'S caErrucss TO win had pledged
itself to produce mere than II could
deliver. more than any statcsmanshi9
or any party could deliver.
First NJ all the Republican party
G,..l
anG being III" traditional party If
prnspcrity. its promises expressed
ANA implied, w"r" taken with all Sc
robustness. Ns IL has turned out. how
& ever prosperity could not he coaxed
nor forced. Government has been as
helpless in Tint movement as arc in
:, d!ridusls. There are certain eco
nomc conditions which neither Iegis-
lauon nor policy. nor fla, can over
cane
Unemployment distressing.
This administration Inherited such
conditions as Ia" inevitable aftermath
"f war and they have not been over
come, Unemployment continues To
distressing -Ni"nt--thc direct result
az depressed business. Reconstruction
las gone forward slowly and pain
iullN. Foreign trade suffers from
partial paralysis and agriculture has
suffered from almost total paralysis.
~ q" T"'rt 20 Grat win 'h-se con
Hi..'hS IN" fresia'ht proposed rene
Hf 500" Tor i""tr taKat"n.
mn i1unn 'nat 'HNHS could not q"
ln'"e"'''N.E ne STOOD 'or
n en- 'rseneE ANN hrst 10 al the
slm't ana 1919 .F'"n' tarif az
v "''' 90 ~ ~ ma nHiac'Irer The
49,, ~ F"SS"a oAi u
ID" SATISFACTORY F"-N't. lHt
~ tH.'neo ana may no;
"".E i't n@'h%T year
N.So' nc Fr"'ii "ni stood FOR govern
H.-h'a reform Tor general house
1.tahlhE' sweeping oy+rhaul!ne.
h.s' 700. mas .ansliSneH. E%orraul-
""N"h L. i'tnE o. he Enc":tain tE-
'3tf AnG appropriations hay" been
rtdur~d NerS liui" '"mrar.d 'vlth
"'hat "as hoped for they have been
reduced only 10 = r.usriht. .x..,,
This years budget vz- ir arcass a.
mat FOR last year. but the hgd-., ls
hsi1E s'aShsa CONGRESS Fiou. rr,,c,,
ihey VIII D.. remains n r. ,..r
budget iii Enacted