The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-07-17
PRESIDENTS WIFE
is GOOD POLITICIAN
WIVES OF EXECUTIVES IN
PAST BUT LITTLE ASSIST
ANCE IN CAMPAIGNS.
By Grafton S. Wilcox.

By Grafton S. WILCOX.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL
PARK.-President Harding, accord
ing to Mrs. Harding, is going to be
candidate for reelection. Mrs. Hard
ing has told friends so. If there ever
was any doubt about the presidents
intention to be a candidate for a sec
ond term that probably settles it. :.
Mrs. Harding, after trip through
this park, asserts that she never telt
better in her life, and certainly she
has demonstrated extraordinary vital
ity on this tour. She shakes hands
with thousands of persons, never fails
to greet the crowds from the back
platform and rides hundreds OF miles
over dusty roads without protest.
Presidents of the United States in
the past fought their political cam
paigns without having their wives by
their sides But today all is changed.
Women are voters now and an I'M
portant political factor in the nation,
and presidents wife may have an
enormous influence on the political
fortunes of her husband. There can
be no doubt that Mrs. Harding made
favorable impression on the thous-
ands who turned out to see her on
this trip. Perhaps as many people
came to see Mrs. Harding as to see
the president.
Mrs Cleveland was an admired and
much acclaimed white house woman
in her day, but comparatively few
people ever met her personally. Cleve-
land himself did not like to travel.
Mrs. Mckinley was an invalid and
seldom is ever accompanied her hus-
band
Mr.. Taft was the greatest Of all
presidential travellers, but his wife did
not follow him to any extent and was
seldom in the limelight.
Mrs. Roosevelt was most conserva-
tive and took no active interest IN
public affairs, devoting her time large
ly to her husband, children and a
comparatively small group of friends.
Mrs. Wilson had no love for cam
paign trips, but she did accompany
her husband on his historic league of
nations crusade across the country.
The acclaim of the crowds made no
appeal to her and she shrank from
their curiosity. Her real purpose in
making the trip was to care Tor Mrs.
Wilson's health.
She Likes Politics.
Mrs. Harding has met with differ
emf conditions. In the first place. she
frankly likes to meet people and she
likes politics She was bred in the po-
litical atmosphere of Ohio, where
politics is an all-year round game.
With changed conditions the duties
of the first woman of the land have
assumed a new importance, new dis
tinction, and greater responsibilities.
Mrs. Harding has become an import
ant political as we'll as social factor
in the life of the nation. From the be-
ginning she has cheerfully and with
grace faced the limelight.
In this campaign-for it is cam
paign-Mrs. Harding has proved an
efficient helpmate The president calls
her his fright hand man." Early in
the morning, long before most OF the
presidents party have tumbled out
their berths, Mrs. Harding is on the
back platform smiling and waving at
the workers in the railroad yards and
the hundreds of children that gather
at every station along the route.
Mrs Harding is always perfectly
gowned She has a great assortment
of hats and dresses for the trip, and
no doubt thousands of women come
to the meetings and stations to see
what the presidents wife wears. There
are always more women than there
are men among the thousands who
line the streets.
Mrs. Harding realizes that in this
day woman NAV make or break her
husband in politics. Despite her Sc
we're illness the last winter, surround
ed BY physicians and nurses, she has
displayed greater physical vitality on
this trip than the president himself.
Ruins Many Gloves.
Mrs. Harding is a most human per-
son. She ruins literally dozens of
pairs of gloves shaking hands. She
genuinely likes to meet people and
she has a warming clasp of the hand
and a pleasant greeting for every
body.
She is equally at home with the So
ciety matron and the woman who
bakes her own biscuits. In fact, Mrs,
Harding has confided to many wo-
men who She met along this trip the
secret of making good corn bread or
''iohnny cakes" for her husbands
breakfast. She doesn't mind telling
women that a good housewife makes
happy husband
The children come in for specially
affectionate greetings from both Mrs.
Harding and the president. Like many
other childless couples, they have a
great love for children.