The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-08-29
OUR PRESIDENTS
WORK TOD HARD
PEOPLE SHOULD INSIST THAT
THEY MUST NOT SVERDo
AND THUS BREAK DOWN.
VICTIMS OF IDEAS OF DUTY
Wilson Paid the Penalty With illness
and Harding With Death, and Prob
ably Roosevelt's Life Was Shortened
by Twenty Years.
BY EDWARD 3. A

Washington. - When the news
reached Washington that President
Hardlng was dead the officials of the
government asked a question which has
been asked before: "Will the Ameri-
car people ever come to the point of
insisting that their chief executives
shall not work themselves TO the
breaking point?"
Leaving out all question of sorrow
and sentiment, the United States gov
eminent suffers when its chief execu-
tive is incapacitated, and it suffers
also when the presidency through the
death of q chief executive passes to
another man. Everything is disrupted,
temporarily at least, aud the govern
ment reases for a time properly to
function.
It vas known long ago that Presi-
dent Harding was overworking, Just
as It was known that Woodrow VIII
son was Overworking, and in an older
Gay that Theodore Roosevelt was over
working.
Woodrow Wilson was stricken on a
western trip when he was laying the
cauSe of the League of Nations before
his fellow countrymen. He had borne
the stress Of wartime troubles and
the hardships of European negotiations
which he undertook in person. On
top Of this he insisted. against the
advice of some of his friends, on TAX
ing the platform in America in behalf
of the cause which he had at heart.
Paid the Penalty Of OVERRIDING.
President Harding had not only the
troubles Of an administration beset
with difficulties consequent on the war,
but he met with unusual domestic pol
fey difficulties because of disagreements
with some of the leading members of
his party. The Presidents trip to the
South n the spring did him good, but
even that trip in a way was a working
"trip. In the heat of the summer he
started on a long journey, Il of the
hardest journeys ever undertaken by
a president of the United States. He
paid the penalty of overriding.
Every president Of the United States
seemingly feels that he ought to carry
a message to the people two or three
times at least during his administra-
ton. The idea of the presidents has
been that they must give an account
Of their stewardship and that the peo-
pie expect it of them. In view of what
happened to Woodrow Wilson it is
the feeling Of Washington officials that
the country readily would have under
stood and have approved of a deter
minatlon on Mr. H%arding's part that
he would rest rather than travel.
A few weeks before he left for the
Northwest President Harding told the
newspaper correspondents here that
he believed he could get a much bet
ter understanding Of what was neces-
sarv for the rehabilitation Of Alaska If
ne should make a tour Of personal
study and observation. He felt that
the Alaska trip was a duty and he,
like other presidents, felt also that
he ought TO visit his constituents in
the various states. What some Of the
government officials hope IS that il
TIE future presidents may come to he
lieve that their duty TO the a|dministra-
tion as an administration Is paramount
r. any duty which will tax strength
and imperil life.