The Washington times., 1923-07-31
FOES GIVE
SYMPATHY To
PRESIDENT
Illness Of Harding Causes
Speculation as to Guiding
Hand in ConvaIescence.
By WILLIAM HARD.


All Washington receives the news
of the Presidents illness with the
deepest sympathy, and Republican
Washington receives it with the
gravest anxiety. The Presidents
illness, If it should continue, would
leave the Republican party going
to unknown destinations across
dark country at a time OF great
peril.
It long has been intimately adj
mitted here that the "organiza-
lions" or machines" of both par
ties are very much weaker than
the public supposes. The public
has denounced the machines" The
| machines" in conseQuence-and
without the public's fully realizing
| it-have lost q most considerable
proportion Of their former authority
and responsibility In the manage
ment of the. affairs Of the nation.
Speculation Intense.
More and more the levers of
command have perilously passed to
one pair Of hands in the White
House.. If those hands are stayed
by illness the city of Washington
suddenly realizes that emancipation
from party government has meant
submission to personal government
and that today during a. Presi-
Dental illness the country is bound
to be governed by the Presidents
personal friends.
| QnocuIafion hacoroos Intense there-
fore as to what friends of Presi-
dent Hardfng's will most closely be
his interpreters IL unfortunately his
4 illness should detain him for any
/ important length Of time from his
official duties.
It is assumed at the outset that
much will depend on Mrs. Harding.
Mrs. Harding has been diligent
j observer Of current politics. She
\ has kept in contact steadily with
all political developments in their
relation to the Presidents fortune.
She in fact has been known in GER
tain cases t. intervene in those
developments. She carries on the
tradition which was begun by Mrs.
Taft.
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt abstained
from politics altogether. Mrs. Taft
was poAical person. Subsequently,
during President Wilson's illness,
the country accepted it as natural
that Mrs. Wilson should have much
to say as to the personalities and
therefore as to the actions and
events that crossed the threshold
of the Chief Magistrates sick-room.
1t is regarded as certain that dur
ing any illness endured by Presi-
dent Harding a most careful watch
nP 1ia Drocfdonfia1 and nf his npF.
sonal duties and interests would be
maintained by Mrs. Haring In full
knowledge of the Presidents own
preference and desires.
Daugherty Is Closest.
It is also regarded as certain,
however, that in this case much
more than in President Wilson's
case a large role of intimate COM
partnership and helpfulness would
be open to members of the Cabinet
and would in fact be imposed upon
them.
Chief perhaps among the mem
bers of the present Cabinet in this
respect would be Attorney General
Daugherty with Postmaster General
New and Secretary of War Weeks
added to him.
Mr.. Daugherty and Mr.. New and
Mr.. Weeks, while perhaps no closer
to the President than certain other
members of the Cabinet in matters
of craftsmanship, are known to be
on terms of distinctly special per-
sonal intimacy with him.
> 1t might also be safely said that
in matters Of party strategy the
President will be inclined to sum
mon the wisdom of John T. Adams,
chairman of the Republican Ma
tionaI Committee. Mr.. Adams
steadfastness in pursuit of his con-
victions, even when they seemed to
go counter to policies Of the State
department, has led to no break
4. between Mr.. Adams and the Presi-
dent. On the contrary it has led
to a sort of revival Of the prestige
of the craftsmanship of the Republi-
can party and has made Mr.. Adams
increasingly an important figure in
While House calculations.
Opponents Like Him.
These men sand Mrs. Harding are
expected to have most to do with
the Presidents contacts with the
, country's problems if he should
come back to Washington weakened
by illness and obliged to circum-
scribe his activities.
Among those who most ardently
n hope that his illness will be short
are his bitterest political opponents.
Many former Presidents have been
politically assailed with almost un-
diminished vehemence while physi-
? cally unable to retort. President
Harding's assailants are disposed to
. give him political moratorium until
I he achieves a physical recovery.
Ihey yearn to attack him; but they
IKE him and have a sneaking ten
4 derness Of feeling for him; and they
cannot bring themselves to denounce
MN while he is suffering; and they
sland IN the forefront of his friends
, 10 wish him happily and quickly well
again.
= Copyright. 1929 by Washington Press
Service.)