Evening star., 1923-08-05
MEN AND AFFAIRS
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.
d visibly d

election Mr.. Harding chafed yisibly at
the surveillance Of the correspondents
and the secret service men. He. did
not see why a President much less 4
President-elect. should be the object
of so much solicitude When he was
sojourn just before the Inauguration
Mr.. Harding called together the cor
respondents at Marion.
II am going TO hold aloof from you
fellows for at least two weeks of my
trip" he said. Il don't want to be
rude but am in deadly earnest. If
you attempt to follow me / will make
it--make It miserable for you, that's
all"
or course, a satisfactory arrange
ment was worked out. the CORE
spondents did not annoy the Presl-
dent. and rather than resent their
presence in the end he often would
send for them to just sit around ann
talk. After he was President Mr.
Harding entertained the newspaper
men at the White House and often
met with them at games of hearts and
golf. Mr.. Harding was a good card
player and loved the relaxation that
the games provided. His love of golf
is well known. He was an extremely
ethical golfer. He played strictly IN
the rules and he held his opponents
to them well.
play the game properly or do, no.
play at ALL" he said. Mr.. Harding was
patient with his shortcomings at golf
Often he would be coSpletely eXas-
perated at a round. when his score
would go up to lI6 or more. One dav
as the writer met him at a White House
conference, however, he was aglow.
II would like to have had you today.
he exclaimed Il made an IS at Chew
Chase"
proud day that was in the Presidents
life
President Harding will go down in
history as one of the handsomest and
best dressed Chief Executives the ma
ton has ever known. And yet wher
he was told that on entering the White
House he would be provided with
valet. he fairly squirmed.
Have l got to have him." he 'n-
quired.
Yes, sir it goes with the job" sad
one OF the correspondents.
Then I'll have to grin and bear II.
but l never thought l would have Il
thing like that wished on me
Calvin Coolidge unquestionably today
feels the same way about the valet. but
like Mr.. Harding. he will find him an
indispensable adjunct. A President
must dress properly for many varying
occasions. He has not the time to at
tend to such details himself. The valet
must do that for him. MIR. Harding
wardrobe, when he reached Washing
ton just prior TO March 4. 1921. wa
thought 10 be complete and in eyer
way becoming. But il WAS not long be
fore the valet had made many change
in it. The valet did not like the width
Of the stripes they wore on trousers
fol formal dress out in Ohio. Mr. Hard
ing wore a pair of these trousers at his
inauguration. The valet suffered ex-
cTuciatingly. No one else paid any par
ticular attention TO the pants. but JUS
he same they disappeared from view
for all time.
So far as is known here. Mr. Harding
is the first President of the United
States to die with his father still liv-
ing. DIR. George IT. Harding never
thought to outlive his distinguished son
but he is left today to mourn his great
personal loss. DIR. Harding had planned
TO come to Washington and ride in hi
, old country doctors buggy in the
inaugural parade, but the festivities or
the inauguration We're called off
Often it has been said that no man
was strong unless somebody hated him
III that be true, then Warren G. Hard
ing was not a strong man. II would
nave hurt him deeply 10 feel that he
inspired hatred in any living soul