Evening star., 1923-08-03
FROM BACKWOODS~ FARM
TO RULER OF MILLIONS
President Harding's Career Typical of
america and of american
Opportunity.

United States. on March 4, 1921. he
was confronted with an existing con-
dition throughout the country proba-
bly, as grave and menacing as any
ever faced by his predecessors.
The war was just over and the
back-wash from that period of tur-
moil and strain was felt in the gov
ernment and throughout the land.
There was much unemployment, the
public was restive.
The time had arrived for change.
Warren Harding knew this. Many
times during his campaign in the fall
of 1920 he referred to it in his public
utterances. He seemed to appreciate
above everything else that there must
be return to normal conditions.
Brought Improvement.
1t was to bring about this that he
entered his high office. The greater
part of his first year as President was
devoted almost entirely, either direct
ly or indirectly, to reconstruction
The depression did not vanish with
the waving of a wand. but by the end
of his first twelve months of serious
effort conditions began to show i'm
provement and success finally crown
ed these efforts at the end of two
years, when it was acknowledged
everywhere that the government and
the nation had returned to normalcy
or at least near to it. President
HardingS efforts in bringing about
this condition and his masterful
handling of the government itself,
which was in sad state or In
,oia of FRY n %
days of the war period. are looked
tupon by many as one of the great
triumphs of his administration.
AT any rate, there probably was no
other acCompli Shment of his during
: his administration that brought him
I more real satisfaction and happiness
! than did the nations gradual return
10 its old order OF things.
1t was while dealing with this great
problem that the creation of the bud
get system for the government was
inspired. Establishment of this bust
nesslike agency almost instantly ef-
fected economies and efficiency III the
government departments.
High Spots of Record.
Persons in a position to place an
estimation on President Harding $
record have no hes:tancy in saying
that his handling of the reconstruc- :
tion the establishment of the budget
system and the holding of the confer
ence here on the limitation of arma-
ments and the problems OF the Par
cifr were the outstanding features,
The Associated Press furnishes the
following. what ii terms the high
spots in the events of the Harding
admin! Stration:
Re-establishment of peace with
Germany and Austria.
The calling of the arms conference
which approved the naval limitation
treaty and the four-power Pacihc
pact
Ratification of the treaty with CO.
lombia resulting from the partltlon-
Ing of Panama.
Revision of the tax and tariff laws.
Restriction of immigration.
Farmer aid legislation with par
ticular reference to easier credits on
more liberal terms.
Establishment of the budget bureau.
Veto of the soldiers bonus bill.
Extension of the program OF AID
for wounded, sick and disabled vet
Grams of the world war.
Advocacy of American participa-
tion in the world court
Calm Amid Triumphs.
President Harding all the while
faced these many tasks quietly
and seriously. His outward calm
ness probably has been due 10 an
existing impression in many quar-
tiers that little of great Importance
had been done by his administration.
The President, however, Throughout
MS days as tTeSluenI, always Iclt
that he had the confidence of the
people. He at least had the knowl-
edge of the fact that he was elected
President with a plurality of more
than 100000
The simplicity of the new Presi-
dent was first brought home to the
capital when month or so prior
to the inaugural date he requested
that there be nothing of the spec
tacular arranged for his incoming.
The parade was abandoned and the
customary inaugural ball was done
away with.
He motored to the Capitol with
Woodrow Wilson, delivered his ad-
dress from the platform on the east
steps of that building and then, with
Mrs Harding. motored to the White
House and almost Immediately that
day got down to work." as he eX-
small group of newspaper men
whom he received in his office.
Arms Conference Pacts.
The naval limitation treaty has been
ratified by all five of the powers
signing 1.-THE United States. Great
Britain. France, Italy and Japan. The
four-power Pacific treaty, whose rati-
fcation -7as the signal for the ter
mination OF the Anglo-Japanese alli-
ance, also has been ratified by the
CnlleQ states, NIreat Brltdln, france
and Japan. Under it these nations
pledge themselves to respect the
rights of the others in their island
possessions and dominions in the re-
gion of the Pacific, and in case of
differences arising, either between the
slgnatorieS or between signatory
and other nations, to confer in an
effort to bring about a settlement
Formal peace with Germany and with
Austria was made during the Harding
administration. The Versailles peace
treaty and the league OF nations cove
nant. negotiated by former President
Wilson, together with the representa-
trail powers, had failed of ratification.
After President Harding came into the
White House Congress put through the
so-called Knox resolution. declaring war
with Germany and Austria at an end,
and providing for the esta blishment of
peace between the United States and
those nations with the interests of the
United States safeguarded. President
Harding signed the resolution. Diplo-
matte relations with those countries
were resumed, and representatives of
Germany and Austria came to Washing
ton, and the President appointed Amer
lean diplomatic representatives to the
Berlin and Vienna posts.
President Harding sought earnestly
to bring about legislation to relieve
the condition of the American farmer
He urged also legislation to meet the
railroad situation and to prevent the
great industrial upheavals such as the
railroads and coal strikes of 1922.
Vetoed Soldier Bonus.
Convinced that the Treasury of the
United States was not in shape to
meet the payments necessary If the
sr-called soldiers bonus hill were