The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-10-19
The Harding Vision


comfort strangely and strongly APP
peal. 1t might be said, with modi-
cum of truth. that he is tired of tho
turmoil which has characterized hin
administration to date. But nothing
would be more pleasing to him were
he to continue as President In an
era of political peace. with Congress
in idleness, with no election con-
fronting him, and no cause for the
criticism which 10 perpetually d.
rected. by political opponents. at the
occupant of the White House.
1t is said that the President Will
do all that he possibly can to avoid
the necessity of an extraordinary
session of Congress after March
next year. He has two reasons. He
wants peace for himself and his
household. And, in the second place,
the President knows that prosperity
cannot be obviated II nothing occurs
to distract and distress the minds of
the business men of the country. II
is said to be entirely improbable,
however. that an extraordinary SEES
sion can be avoided. The President
IS certainly mistaken in his belief that
ship subsidy, for instance, can be
put into effect almost Immediately
after the reconyening of Congress
about November 20. He 10 faced by
a long and bitter fight of doubtful
issue.
Second Terns Necessary
That the President will be drafted
again Is said to be certain. In the
first place, with the rank and file of
the people. he Is popular. He Is kind
and gentle and easy OF approach.
While statesmen, real and near, re-
greet his lack of energy, and chafe
under the knowledge that he pre-
fers to play on both aides of the
fence rather than take position I'M
equivoca1ly astride of 1t. their i'm
pressions are whispered only to their
Immediate associates. The result Is
that with the people of the country
the President is apparently very pop
ular.
But there is another reason why
politicians will draft Harding. II he
asks for the nomination, he will re-
oeive 1t. Those who think them
selves greater men than the execu-
tive, will subslde, naturally. But IL
he should do the unthlnkable, put
aside the crown as Caesar Is alleged
to have done. so much strife would
be engendered in thenext republican
convention that the split" which
even now sometimes makes shadowy
appearance, could not be avoided.
with republican strategists, contin-
uation of republican rule is essential,
and big business takes Identical view.
Thus II is certain that Harding will
be drafted, and certain that, ire
spective of his wishes, he will readily
accede.
Among the Ambitious
There are those who hope that
Harding will voluntarily retire. Two
members of the cabinet have the
presidential bee. They are Hughes
and Hoover. Former Postmaster Cen
eral Hayes regards himself as presi-
Dental timber. Since his campaign
expenditures have left Lowden under
a cloud, Senator Medill Mccormick
thinks that he Is the man Illinois
should groom.
And what transcendent opportunity
the retirement of Harding would of
fer progressives! Johnson of Cali
fornia would Immediately enter his
claim. Kenyon of Iowa would sug-
gest himself. Borah of Idaho. il
chance of success appeared good.
would strike with the celebrity of a
bald eagle And LaFollette of Wis
consin would simply run amuck.
But the politicians will avert all
this. And Harding will be nominated
again. Disgruntled republicans will.
in the main, follow Borah's lead in
supporting the ticket. just as demo-
crat would vote for any nominee even
were he to be Bryan or Henry Ford