Evening star., 1922-01-01
NOSSIBLY when this chapter
- is being read in cold type
the thought In the back of
every ones mind. born of

the thought in the back Of
every ones mind. born of
the day, is:
What will the new year bring
FORTH"
President Harding was asked
that question last week in the
course Of one Of his talks with the
newspaper men. whom he receives
at the White House twice a week
to set them right on the drift Of
governmental and administration
affairs. 1t is the understanding
that he Is never to be quoted on
these occasions. although the writ
ers are permitted to indicate high
est authority for the statements
they make, based on the informa-
nation he gives.
The query addressed to the Pres
ident bore upon material affairs.
the country's present and prospec-
tive prosperity, as indicated by re-
ports and information in the hands
Of the government departments.
The occasion might well have been
utilized, II the President had de-
sired to paint glowing picture
for effect without regard to the
background Of reality. for a boom.
But he did not so elect; he Is a
ca US man and canny. and does
not over-enthuse about anything.
II * Il
So. the impression his hearers
Enthusiastically avoiding quo
tation-the impression. to repeat.
was that he believes the country
is conservativeIy started on the
upgrade toward solid betterment
Of the times in every field Of in
dustry and endeavor.
The prospect is especially en-
couraging. his auditors gathered
from his gratified remarks. for the
railroads. The government finds
itself in a position to carry on
some desired financing, without
further appeal to Congress.
through means already provided
by legislation. AS was pointed out.
any distinct improvement existing
In the condition of the railroads is
bound to be reflected in trade and
Industry generally. With the financ-
ing and settlement Of accounts be-
tween the government and the
roads. the carriers will be enabled
provements whose beneficent effect
will finally be felt by wage earn
ers, and. through them. by trades
men and the thousand and one
leaders Of industry.
+ i x*
So, there Is a New Year message
of hope and cheer from q high and
informed source-not fiamboyant
utterance as Of sounding brass.
but the measured words Of one
who would rather fall short of
stating than to overstate.
Next November. from the same
source, will come a proclamation
invoking Thanksgiving for the
benefits the year has brought.
Gamaliel was a prophet; may his
mantle have fallen upon the Presi-
dent.
Politicians note, and with some
surprise. that since women OBJ
tanned the right to vote they are
not pressing for appointment to
office as some Of the hard-boiled
politicians apprehended would be
the case, and neither are they COM
peting to the extent feared In the
race for elective Office. This
writer recalls that one Of the
eastern states q few years ago
refused the franchise to women,
and one Of the most widely circus
lated and emphasized arguments
used in the campaign was the
complaint that If women were
given the vote in the state there
would not be enough Offices to go
around for the men,"
It was a selfish argument-just
like man, the brute-but 1t proved
powerfully effective and turned the
tide for the time against the wom-
en- in that state, who did not come
into their own until the constitu-
tional amendment was ratified. But
It is a fact, the politicians say,
that the women are not crowding
the men, and seem satisfied with
the right to vote without its per-
ouisites Of patronage.
4 X
But, way down deep in their
hearts, the hard-boiled politicians
know that the woman voters are
on the alert and let any great
moral issue como up for settle
ment at the polls, they will vote,
and tho woman's bloc will be a
tangible and potential thing. Pos
sibly it is a satisfaction to the
women to know that IL they do
rot want to hold office themselves,
they have the power to keep men
out who do want it. If they are
not considered worthy, and put out
others who have it and failed to
measure up.
+ + + +
On the eve Of the reassembling
OF Congress after the Christmas
holidays, with the expected re-
sumption Of political discussion in