The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-03-22
HARDING 70 make
TOUR or NATION
Speaking Trip and Pre-Conven-
ton Organization Are Dis
CuSsed by President.
ITINERARY Is DRAWN UP
To Visit 20 Principal Cities-Harvey's
Aid EXpected-He Is Mentioned
With Hays and HiIles as
Possible Managers.

Washington.-The movement for |
the denomination Of President Hard |
ing, which first took tangible form in !
recent conferences among a group of F.
friends here, has developed to a stage I
where details of the personnel and !
program Of pre-convention organiza-
ton in its behalf are receiving active !
attention.
For the present the two most i'm |
portant topics Of these discussions re-
late to the choice of those who are to
head the organization and to features
Of the countrywide speaking trip the
President is expected to make during
the summer.
Already a tentative itinerary for
the trip is under discussion, and Mr..
Harding's advisers are preparing to
aid him in the selection of the topics
he is to discuss.
Attorney General Daugherty's an
nouncement in Miami that the Prasi-
dent would be a candidate again, ac-
cepted here as further confirming the
impression which has been current
COR some weeks in political circles. is
expected to hasten the work of for
mulating a program and a definite
backing with which he can 90 before
the country. The Attorney General,
who was the Harding pre-convention
manager in 1920, is regarded as GER
tain to have a prominent place also
in the campaign that is now begin
ming.
Because of his i'll health and his
official duties, however, Mr.. Daugher-
tvs intimates do not expect him to
again shoulder the heavy burden Of
active pre-convention work he carried
three years ago. Names have been
mentioned for that task in the con-
ferences of Harding supporters, the
list including, among others, viii
Hays Of Indiana and Charles D. HiIles
of New York, both former national
chairmen, and George Harvey, now
American Ambassador at London.
Some Of the friends Of Mr.. Hays re-
Gently have been particularly urgent
in their suggestion that he be brought
prominently into the Harding pre-con-
vention organization with a view to
his selection as chairman of the ma
tional committee in case Mr.. Harding
is Tenominated.'
Conferences on the subject have
been held here and in New York and
more are in prospect. Meantime Mr.
Hays himself is saying nothing for
publication, though his supporters ap-
pear perfectly satisfied that he would
respond to any call to service which
the party might make upon him. Mr.
Hilles also is regarded as willing to
help, although he is said to be in no
sense a candidate.
In some well informed Quaters it is
expected that Ambassador Harvey,
some time during the coming winter,
either will resign his post at London
or obtain leave of absence and re-
turn to the United States to do what
ne can toward Mr.. Hardings renomi.
nation. So far nothing definite in
that direction has been done, nor is
any announcement expected for some
weeks.
1t would be a surprise to some Of
those who know the inside story of
the present Republican lineup, how
ever, if the Ambassador were not on
the ground, actively at work, long be-
fore the national convention assem-
/ bles in 1924
Back of all these immediate consid-
eratiOns lies the question of the con-
troll Of the party machinery in 1928,
when, if President Harding is round
ing out second term, as his friends
| believe he will be, vigorous fight
may develop for the party nomination.
Supporters of Mr.. Hays and other
possible party chairmen are not I'M
mindful of the fact that a chairman
elected after the 1924 convention
would be expected naturally to hold
over until after the convention, and
might be a powerful factor in deter
mining how the cards are dealt in that
years pre-convention contest.