Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-08-10
CAPITAL kEYNOTES
BY PAUL y. COLLINS

they could not foresee that a nation
OF thirteen states. all forming a strip
along the Atlantic ocean, and having
interests so nearly alike. would grow
so soon 10 an empire OF forty-eight
! states. slicing the continent from
ocean to ocean. Their nation re-
quired budget of about 100000
year; ours scarcely lives within a
budget of 1913 times as much. The
| burden has grown three or four times
as great since McKinlev's term.
If they had adopted what was
urged by several members of the Com
stitutionaI Conventions triumyir-
ate, instead of a single person, as
pI esident-the evolution OF the tri-
umVirate might have SO subdivided
The duties as to give no one man
more than a third Of the responsible
ties now carried by our Presidents.
x x 4
Congress has solved the problem Of
how to handle its own mass Of Iegis-
lation by apportioning it amongst
committees; but the one President
must study the same problems as do
the many committees. and show un-
erring wisdom in handling all tho
questions
The President has his departmental
Secretaries. who constitute his cabi-
net. He hears their advice. but is not
bound To follow it. Responsibility
Congress will now plan to relieve
future Executives of all detail work
possible. In the final analysis. COM
pare the responsibility of a President
with that of any king. If kings
ministers advise badly, resulting in
the king-are held to account. and
are summarily dismissed. New adj
visers bring new policies, and the
kings king, for a that
How suddenly may Kingdoms re-
verse their policies and actual rulers
their miniSterS-and how conserya-
tive is this republic in comparisonl
/ If all our departmental Secretaries
should resign. that would not mean
| a change of fundamental policies Of
the Executive. for they make no poll
| cies-except such as the President has
! indicated.
For many months a joint congress
sional committee, of which Walter F.
Brown of Ohio is chairman. has been
! studying the problem of how TO re-
! lieve the routine work of the EKecu-
tive. The plans had been discussed
fully with President Harding and
! have now been submitted to President
Coolidge.
| Amongst such routine which Chair
/ man Brown thinks may be assignee
! to an assistant to the President VIII
| be the appointments to minor OFFICES.
! They may be given to an assistant
| or may be distributed amongst the
respective departments to which they
| belong.
| 1t takes the President two or three
| hours a day merely to sign MS name:
! This may be delegated to others "
ways can be found to avoid ABUSE or
confidence. Cabinet members have
already authorized others 10 sign
! their names, but no law permits the
| cent as to one woman, who signs the
! Presidents name TO a certain class
of documents. .
( pardoning power of the President oc-
| cunies much of his time and nervous
! strain. Final action, he suggests,
| could be transferred to the Depart
/ ment of Justice. where all evidence
| and appeals are analysed.
x X x x
| When the caisson bearing Presi-
dent Hardings body was passing
| from the train to the White House
thousands of citizens were standing
| along the route. in silent tribute. but
| some forgot to remove their hats.
| Soldiers in uniform knocked off scores
! of hats from the owners heads. Most oil
! the surprised men promptly apollo
| cized for their fOrgetfulness.
1t will be said that Americans who
! fail to show such signs of respect
/ have in their hearts no disrespect.
! But that does not lessen the duty
| of those who have learned to honor
! those to whom honor is due-to honor
! all who have met the great con-
| queror, Death!
Copyright. 1923. by 4ausSAS e1nsl1aas- Z