Evening star., 1923-01-24
HARDING MAY NOT
WISH REELECTION
Discouraged by Lack of
Party Team
work.
FEELS CRITICS ARE UNFAIR
State of Wife's Health and Fate of
Ship Subsidy May Be De-
termining Factors.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.


Republican leaders who enjoy
President Harding's confidence be-
lieve be might refuse denomination
in 1924 If the decision had to be made
today. They are persuaded he at
least is tossed between conflicting
emotions as to whether he ought to
run for President a second time or
not. Everything depepds upon the
course Of events during the COM
paratively immediate future. Mrs.
Harding's health is an important fac
tor. The fate Of the ship subsidy is
another. The attitude Of the Senate
toward the administrations conduct
OF foreign affairs is still a third con-
sideration.
No one believes that Warren G.
Harding, in any set OF conditions, is
enthusiastic about another term in
the White House. His friends de-
plot him as one of the most disiI
lusioned of men. He has made no
secret OF that in his private and even
in some of his public contacts. On
the first anniversary of his presi-
dency he said he felt like a man who
had been burdened with the cares OF
the Office for ten years instead OF one.
His hair Is even whittier this winter
than when he made that confession
year ago; his political and personal
worries are immeasurably more on
erous.
Cut by Criticism.
Mr.. Harding feels keenly that on the
whole his critics, inside and outside of
the republican party, have been "un-
fair" To the common charge that the
Presidents troubles are mainly of his
own making-a reference to his re-
fusal to indulge in big stick leader
ship-the rejoinder is offered that Mr..
that called for executive non-inter-
ference with Congress- There are
eminent Americans who demanded
break with "Wilsonian czardom," and
who. having obtained 1t under War
rem G. Harding. now are in full cry at
his heels on that account. That is a
species Of the unjust attacks Of which,
his friends claim, the President has
been the victim.
The thorn that pricks most in the
Harding flesh . is disloyalty within his
lican majority of twenty in the Sen
ate Of the dying Sixty-seventh Con-
gress. Mr.. Harding is often as help
less as If it were a. democratic ma
jority of those dimensions He sees
ing men wearing the uniform of
republicans" as a prominent national
leader describes them to this writer,
but who are devoid OF any sense Of
party loyalty.
COuxens an Example.
James Couzens Newberry's success
sor in the Senate, Is a case in point
and one Of the newest cases. Mr..
Couzens came to Washington the ap-
pointeo Of a republican governor. to
All a regular republican senatorial
seat. No one expected him supineiy
kI4
collar. But neither did the Preei-
dent's supporters expect. for instance,
that Senator Couzens would let weeks
eIapse without paying his respects 70
the official leader OF Nh, ms party ne
He had not up to a fortnight ago
Then Senator Couzens announced he
was against the ship subsidy, and
refused. when labored with by re-
publican leaders. to acknowledge any
cause it was q major administration
project. In the Senate cloakroom
Mr.. Couzens hobnobS with Senator
Brookhart, sworn foe OF the admin
istraion- These observations do not
directly reflect White ,,1a,.ns. House se1ti. ,hs
view Of Mr.. Hardings political lieu
tenants. They are stressed as typ
ical of the conditions which are sour
ing the Presidents political outlook.
The state or ana1rs Will pe even
worse, from Mr.. Harding's standpoint,
when the Sixty-eighth Congress comes
into office. That body, from the ad-
ministration's standpoint. with its
merely paper republican majority. is
expected to be balkiness personified.
The White House contemplates its
arrival with very mixed emotions.
Elections Disappointment.
No analysis of the Presidents state
Of mind would be complete without
allusion to his disappointment over
the November elections. Many Of his
intimates are convinced he looked
upon them as Reputation" of the
Harding administration. Local causes
in many states to the contrary not
withstanding, it has not been easy to
convince the President that the result
was anything but q reversal OF the
stupendous Harding vote OF conf
denoe in 1920
If Mr.. Harding signals during 1923
that he is ready TO- accept renomina-