San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-06
PRESIDENT, IN
FLORIDA, LOOKS.
To YEAR 1924
Next Two Years Will De-
.termine Chance for
Reelection.
DESIRES POPULARITY
With Congress Adjourned,
He Can Demonstrate
Ability.
DESIRES POPULARITY
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright. by THE San Antonio Light.
0rm0nd, Fla, March 6.-President
Harding has his first day of RETROSPECT
tive thought on the trip down here,
the first twenty hours away from off
cial routine since last summer. Half
of Mr.. Harding's first term is a mat.
ter of history. but inseparably as
ISOLATED with those two years is the
conclusion that the second half of the
administration will really decide
whether President Harding will have
an opportunity of reelection.
The President has no illusions
about the status Of his administration
in the eyes Of the public. His many
years in politics have taught him
self-appraisal. He knows even better
than the critics what impression each
act of his administration has made.
His newspaper experience with its
perennial diagnosis of public ills has
enabled him TO look somewhat imper-
sonally at the whole political situa-
ton as ii concerns him.
The President would chart the
curve Of his administration ABRUPTLY
downward for the autumn months fol-
lowing, of course, the Spontaneous
outbreak of rail and coal strike
with the many effects of each on in
dustry and the household. Since then
the struggle has been TO bend the
curve upward again. The political
fortunes cf the President we~c. 70 a
large extent. entrusted to Congress.
which had the chance to increase or
diminish the prestige Of the Republic
can party's chieftain.
Poor Old Congress.
Probably the last man in the world
TO blame anybody else or shift respon-
sibility for his own political mishaps
is Warren q. Harding. He doesn't
need to point to the i'll effect which
Congress has produced by its lack of
team work. Members of his own
party are doing it for him.
Hardly a man Of the so-called adj
ministration group in the House and
Senate will contend that Congress has
increased the political prestige of
President Harding. Rather do they
discuss among themselves how much
damage has been done by the lack of
cooperation.
The defeat of the ship subsidy bill
was bitter pill to swallow, not be-
cause of the merits of the proposal
itself. but because it proved that a
Republican president with big ma
jority in both Houses could not Sc
cure the passage of a bill sponsored
as an administration measure.
IL America had a parliamentary
form of government and Mr.. Harding
were prime minister. he would be
joining Mr.. Iloyd-George in that
wilderness" where premicrs go when
they cannot get vote of confidence.
Democrats Killed Subsidy.
Mr.. Harding feels, however, that
his party had the votes. but that the
Democrats. by virtue Of the Senate
rules permitting unlimited debate.
killed the shipping bill.
This will be his defense. II will
serve to answer attacks on the stump
and to feed fuel to the flames of cam
paign oratory when the record of the
administration is under fire in 1924.
But there is another session Of Con-
gress coming when the margin will
be smaller in the Republican ranks
and the same set of causes will be
operative unless Mr.. Harding and his
lieutenants discover an effective way
of dealing with revolt inside the
party.
Whatever reflection one nav in
dulge on the events of the last two
months. whatever explanation NAV be
made by the individuals who dislike
10 look at adverse facts. the truth is
the much dreaded insurgency which
destroyed party solidarity in Mr..
Tafts administration has raised its
menacing head again.
Youth Replaces Age.
Congress has gone from Washing
ton for nine months. but in its wake
is felt a trail of experiences which
furnish the key to the future. At
tempts at leadership have not been
lacking. What, for instance. was the |
purpose of naming Senator's Lenroot
OF Wisconsin and Wordsworth of New |
York to be floor leaders. il not to |
substitute the vigor of youth for the |
veteran oratorship of a steering COM
mittee which found itself failing TO |
function at critical moments.
Senator Lodge has been through A |
severe trial in the last four years. His |
efforts TO reconcile conflicting factions
have been unavailing. No leaders
have risen to his aid through indy
dual achievement. In the old DAYS |
men won their places as leaders by |
earning the respect of their colleagues. |
But today it is different. Powers of |
leadership are curtailed. Senators |
who have to go through primary cleo |
tons are less interested in what lead !
ers tell them.
Florida is place for rest and /.
recreation. but there win he plenty |
OF time for reflection. and many !
thought applied TO the big task ahead |
OF turning the delicate curve Of popu-