Evening star., 1923-06-08
[ASKER SOON OUT
OF SHIPPING BOARD
Shortly to Withdraw From Of
ficiaI Circle Where He Play
ed Prominent Part.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Albert d. Lasker. chairman OF the
United States Shipping Board, with
draws in a few days from the political
and official scenes in which he has
played an influential part. His pass
ing marks the end of an unusual ex-
perience for official Washington.
Taken into the presidential bosom
from the outset, Mr.. Lasker's intimacy
with the Hardings gave him a posi-
tion that drew the envy of many
members of Congress and others in
official life who covet the time and
favor bestowed upon White House
advisers 1t was somewhat the same
under the last administration when
President Wilson gave much of his
time to Col. Z. NJ. House and Bernaro
NJ Baruch, and has always been so
when men outside the cabinet nave
been, so to speak. close to the throne.
without Exact Parallel.
Albert Laskers part in the Hard
ing administration does NOT nave an
exact parallel in any other admin
istration within the recollection OF
place Mr.. Lasker didn't want 10
come to Washington ard accepted
the chairmanship of the Shipping
Eoard only after President Harding
had offered the same place TO Two
other men and failed to get their
consent to serve. Mr.. Lasker, more
over. was not an original Harding
man." but was the chef hnancial
hacker and booster of Hiram John.
son in the presidential campaign of
1920. Mr.. Lasker has not deviated
from his beliefs of that year on in
ternational politics and is today an
"irreconcilable" of irreconcilables.
President Harding promised Mr..
ton that he would give him his full
cts support in managing the ship
ping problems of the government.
The ship subsidy plan. which has
often been credited to Mr.. Lasker;
was really Mr. Hardirg's original
plan. Mr.. Lasker himself has been
against government operation. but
he and the President turned to that
plan as the only way out of the
shipping muddle and Mr.. Lasker has
worked with him harmoniously and
Sketched the fundamentals of policy
which are to be uut into effect after
his departure.
Declines Further Service.
1t is known that the President
made several efforts to persuade Mr..
Lasker to stay on and give the gov
ernment the benefit OF his services
but Mr.. Lasker did not feel that he
could afford to stay beyond the two
year period he had originally prom
iSed to serve.
To an unusual extent Albert Lasker
has been the subject of conversation
and of controversy in the inner life
of political Washington. He has an
aggressive personality and dealt
bluntly with members of Congress in
attempting to apply the efficient
methods of the business world in the
conduct of his job. His encounters
with red tape and the Vaccinations
of politicians seeking special favors
ence al the White House. but in prac-
tically every case the President stood
ny the chairman of the Shipping
Board. even against some of the most
Senate. This is Harding's way. Incl
dentally-he leans heaviest on the
man in charge of the job. the head Of
the department or the head of an in
dependent establishment in the gov
ernment.
Presidents Appreciation.
President Harding probably has felt
that he was more or less under OBJ
legation to Albert Lasker, in bringing
him to Washington with sacrifice
to his own business. The President !
is the kind of a man who appreciates |
deeply the Willingness of business
men to forego their own private en-
terprises and give their time to the |
government. There were many men
during war time who were willing to
serve the government for nominal |
but there have been few
willing to do this during the recon- |
struction period.
The departure of Mr.. Lasker, mil |
Iona ire. marks the passage of one of |
the most interesting figures the Ma !
tional Capital has seen since the war !.
a man of big business affairs. del |
wing deeply in official red tape and |
shaping policies with the |
inevitable recognition of what can |
and cannot be gotten through Con- !
gress. therefore not always with the !
usual attitude of the business world |
of what ought or ought not be done |
for efficiency sake.
Variance of View.
Opinions differ as to what Albert |
Lasker's influence at the White House !
has been apart from shipping mat |
ters. Mr.. Lasker has always in /!
sisted that he had no influence with |
the President other than on shipping |
His experience in the field !
of advertising and publicity have, |
however. made him a keen analyst !
of public opinion and popular i'm !
preston. Will Hays called Albert !
Lasker to his side in the 1918 Con- |
gressional campaign, and the latter |
played an important part as well in |
1920 presidential campaign.
In the many discussions on presi- |
Dental trips in Florida. on the May |
flower and elsewhere, Albert Lasker |
has been in position to express his !
viewpoint and perhaps to have the |
influence of his words count in sub |
sequent action of the President.
Nobody of course knows-perhaps |
least of all the President himself
what are the things that in the last |
analysis influence a presidential de- |
cision. Many men would have pre-. |
ferred to stay in the official and po- !
litical limelight much longer and /.
bask in the sunshine of presidential |
favor, socially, politically and other |
wise, but the tendency of the business |
man is to get back to that world of |
affairs where red tape can be brushed !
aside and where the expenditure of |
a thousand dollars is not subject to |
the approval of scores of Legislators !
with political rather than an eco
nOmir yjeWDoint