Evening star., 1923-04-24
PRES|DENT'SBO
| DEFENSE AMAzES
Strikes Blow at Those Who
Claim Need for Strong
Man at Helm.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

NEW YORK, April 24-Warren
Harding today made an amazing de-
fense of his type of President Of the
United States. amazing for it's bold
attack on those critics who have
a0plored that some strong man is
nSt in the White House to make
Congress do his bidding.
Devoting most of his speech to the
already familiar arguments in favor
Of American adherence to the world
court, the President turned abruptly
at the close of his address to the
annual meeting of members of the
: associated Press and struck ii blow
ny those who have been insisting
that d President should drive Con-
2sress as either Wilson or Roosevelt
were wont to do.
Times Have Changed.
Mr.. Harding says 1t can't be done
now, that times have changed and
;hs the effectiveness Of "administra
tive and Legislative fuitillment" is no
longer influenced by war stress or
presidential personality And he
blames the primary and party ire
Sk'ciAoiDiiAly WHICH nave leu To lut
formation of blocs and groups with
out party loyalty.
The President seemed to sense that
lie was straying into unusual paths,
tor he prefaced his statement about
2arty loyalty with this sentence:
One more thought. little expected
on this occasion, I am sure. but par
icalariy appropriate before a highly
representative body OF the American
rTES' He then DO
hich he has banteringly given the
correspondents at Washington from
time to time. namely, that II is one
thing to write newspaper editorials
'ellng the government how to run
things and IT is quite another to try
as an editor in the White House to
put editorial thoughts into actual
practice. He reminiscently told his
hearers that he knew from expert
ence how newspaper man conf
IDENTIFY prints opinions on public af-
fairs-he has ii marked advantage
he&ause he is seldom called upon 10
'nf%e good unless he happens to be
"i"cted President. and apparently no
ewspaper man was ever put to the
test heretofore"
With this semi-humorous introduce
uon, MIR. Harding threw off restraint
md tackled the main theme of his
rites.
Discusses Criticism.
L ou nave Deen saying, he SAID
a lot about the failure of Congress
and the lack of teamwork between
the executive and Congress, and many
of you have deplored that some
strong man is not in the White House
10 make Congress do his bidding. But
:. great change has taken place,
vitality influencing the work of adj
rninlstratiVe and Legislative fulfill
fnent. This effectiveness is no longer
influenced by war stress or presiden-
L.1 personality. The great change
ta6 come about unawares. and as.
inolders of public opinion you have
ignored the fundamental reason. 1t
8 the change in our political sys-
tenn, the rule of the primary. the 1
trtft toward pure democracy and the /
growing impotence of political par
lies We have gotten away from the
representative system; we have
cached a point where the lack of
party loyalty has made party spon-
soFship in government less effective
Q tAln it was
We have come TO the time when q
party platform is regarded by too
many men in public life as even less
important than scrap of paper, and
groups or blocs are turned to serve
group interests, and many individuals
serve their own, while contempt for
party conference or caucus has sent
party loyalty pretty much into the
Ql6CdTQ.
Not n New Idea.
This is not new idea with Mr..
Hatding. He has on occasion raped
the primary just as hard. but his
words didn't carry the same signifi-
canoe a year or SO ago. as they do
today. when he stands before the
country a prospective candidate for
denomination in 1924. He himself will
encounter such opposition as does
rrop up against his nomination
through the medium of presidential
pre- ference primaries. Senator La
F'oaette of Wisconsin is certain to
enter the primaries and perhaps one
pr two others.
Mr.. Harding serves warning long in
advance that the present form of pri-
nary selection is inconclusive and |
retrogressive instead of progressive.
Ie reiterates his faith in political
parties and makes it clear that he is
not advocating the abandonment of
he primary which gives every voter
voice In nominating for office and
e'ermining party policy" But the
preserve and safeguard it against the
pld-time abuse which impelied its
doption. and 1 would make it an
gent of indisputable party express
ION rather than a means of party ,
onfusion or destruction"
Movement Growing.
The movement is in full swing in !
everal states to amend the primary |
avs and supplement the primary
ith party convention. Mr.. Harding !
kss that method. He points out that |
owadays in many states party ad- !
erence is fiouted, loyalty is held to
c contemplate. nominations for Of
GO are often Influenced by voters en-
oiled under an opposing party ban
er and platforms are the inSincere
tterances of expediency. Influenced
~ nominees rather than by advocates
principle"
In this last sentence may be found
lie first outburSt of Indignation from
e White House over what happened
f<L>he west last year, when the re-
Iblican primaries We're captured by
'adicals' and by members of the
non partisan League" who helped
nominate and present to the peo-
'c in the final elections candidates
nder the label republican. who con-
ssed little sympathy with the prin-
pie of republicanism of the national
|drty leaders and even the republican
Iational administration itself. The
ext Congress will be controlled by a
roup of this kind of republicans. and
Tr. Harding'S battle with the product
+ the. primary system has just be-
Fun. His speech to the editors here
but the foTerunner of the campaign
plans to make this summer in his
.estern speeches in the hope of re-
oring party harmony, party loyalty
I'd regard for party platformS-a re-
urn to the normalcy of pre-war
ays, when democrat meant democrat
nd republican didn't mean La Fol- |
cite. Brookhart. Norbeck, Ladd and
tk rest who have been as much nom
mated in Mr.. Harding's opinion by