Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-03
PRESIDENT SEEKS
To SECURE CONTROL
Of THE Convention
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Geased Wire Service to The Journal.)
DOWNRIGHT, 1920


the new postmaster general, Harry
S. New. of Indiana. That tells to
some extent why the appointment
was made, but not altogether.
There's a political significance in the
cabinet shift which is unacceptable.
1t means the beginning Of a fight
on the part of the Harding admins
tration to recover for the regular
Republican national organization
control of those states which they
lost in the primaries last year. 1t
means a determined effort to place
in the hands of the regular organl-
cation the control of the next Repub-
lican national convention. which, of
course, signifies the denomination of
President Harding if he cares to run.
Within the last three weeks Mr..
Harding has let his position become
known. In fact, among others,
senator from Indiana, James Wat
son, was the recipient Of President
Harding's views. The importance
Of this may be realized when it is
recalled that Senator Watson has
been lined up with former Senator
Beveridge in Indiana's factional
fight and that Harry News defeat in
the Republican primaries was inter-
preted at the time as a rebuke to the
Harding administration. Not the
best of feeling has prevailed since
the Indiana primaries, it being con-
tended by some Of the Beveridge peo-
pie that Mr.. New didn't go out and
stump for Beveridge after the lat
ter had won the regular Republican
nomination for the United States
senate. No one knows, of course,
how many Republicans who voted
against Beveridge in the primaries
turned around and helped Samuel
Ralston, Democrat, win the final vic
tory in November, but it is general
Iy conceded that if Harry New had
not been elevated to a post in the
cabinet of the president his oppor-
tunities to recover lost ground in In
diana politics would have been nil.
Needs Indiana
Mr.. Harding, if he is. to be a candi-
date in 1924, needs the support Of
Indiana Republicanism. Former SEN
ator Beveridge would have been an
active presidential candidate if he
had won the state last autumn and
there is no certainty that he will not
figure somehow in the contest yet
as Republican factionalism in In
diana is far from smoothed out.
The president will run for re-elec-
ton if his party wants him to do
so. That's the long and short of
it today. What the party wants
to do will depend on the personnel
of the next Republican convention.
If they are regulars and friendly
to Mr.. Harding, they will want him
to run and he will accede to their
request.
Matters are shaping therefore for
a denomination effort Mr.. Har-
ding probably will not go into the
primaries himself. He has declared
himself as opposed to primaries and
in favor of the convention system
so it will involve no inconsistency
on his part to stay out of them as
a matter of principle. Meanwhile
Senator Hiram Johnson, Senator La
Toilette and others will probably
seek primary Endorsements.
Warren Harding didn't get very
far in the 1920 primaries, but the
convention chose him nevertheless.
In fact it was, in Senator Harry
News house in Indiana that the
historic episode is supposed to have
occurred when Mr.. Harding. was
about to telephone to Columbus with
drawing from the presidential con
test. Mrs. Harding is credited with
having influenced her husband to
stick to the race in spite Of the
overwhelming defeat in the Indiana
primaries.
Harry New was another bulWark
of support at a time when the Har'
ding prospects were dropping. In
fact he and Harry Daugherty are
indisputably entitled to the distinc
ton of being the original Harding
men. Mr.. New announced from the
housetops that he was for Warren
Harding for president long before
any one in the senate talked of the
1920 campaign. He was chairman
Of the speakers bureau in the 1920
campaign, and was constantly in
| the candidates company.
Offered Post Before
1t is we'll known that Mr.. Har
| ding offered New a portfolio in the
cabinet a year ago, but the Indi
ana senator wanted to do battle with
Beverage in the primaries and stay
ed out. When he lost. it was gen
orally supposed he would enter the
| cabinet anyway but factionaisn
in Indiana prevented the choice al
| that time. Rumors were circulated
that Dr. Hubert Work would take
| the postmaster generalship only fol
a year, and would be replaced by
| Harry New, but in the meantime
/ Secretary Falls resignation permit
ted the president to retain the serv
| ices of the Colorado member of hi:
cabinet. DR.. Work was presiden
of the American Medical association
and is a master of detail, an eher
getic executive. Secretary Fal
thinks DR.. Work has just the RICH
poise to make a good secretary o
the interior especially because of hi
knowledge of the western viewpoint
AS for the postoffice department
the traditional theory has been tina
| it needs a. veteran politician. Will
Hays was put there partly for tina
reason. Harry New was once chair
man Of the Republican national com
mittee, and is probably the oldes
active politician in the Republican