San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-16

to speak only to cancel them because
of pressure of public business. But
Congress has adjourned now. and
Mrs. Harding has almost entirely re-
| covered her health. so that the Presi-
dent can make plans for his import
| ant trip.
Presidents, as a rule. have some
other object than political campaign
ing when they venture forth on long
| speaking trips. and the ostensible
reason for the Harding excursion will
be the long deferred journey to Alaska.
| Like Mr. Taft, the present incum-
bent. believes in visiting all parts of
the United States and its possessions
and were it not for the long ocean
voyage. the President would like to
include the Philippine Islands and
Hawaii. Just before he was inau-
gurated. Mr.. Harding went 10 Pana-
ma and he has on more than one
occasion since wished he could visit
Porto Rico and get first-hand impress
sions of some of the problems en-
countered in administering territorial
form of government.
In order TO visit Alaska. where the
federal governments interests have
grown so complex in the last two
years, that Mr.. Harding has had TO
iron out friction between his own
cabinet secretaries, the President will
naturally leave from Seattle. He can
therefore. 60 out to the Northwest
through Wisconsin, Minnesota, the
Dakotas. Montana and Washington
and return through Oregon, Califor-
MIA. Nevada. Utah. Colorado, Kansas,
Nebraska. Iowa and Missouri. The
Middle Western states, such as Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois. can be- visited
on either the outward journey or the
return trip TO Washington.
Prepares Addresses.
As for New York and the New
England states. the President can al
ways accept some OF the numerous
invitations he is constantly getting
from cities in that section and he
need not take them all on one trip,
but can make frequent excursions out
Of Washington. Mr.. Harding does
not like TO make extemperaneous
speeches, though during the Senate
debate he frequently made them. but
since his accession to the presidency
he has always prepared public adj
dresses in advance. Mr.. Taft did
likewise. So did Mr.. Roosevelt,
though the latter always sprinkled a
few extemporaneous sentences in his
speeches which often caused more
comment than his prepared copy.
Mr.. Wilson rarely prepared speeches
in advance. He even spoke extern
poraneously in the formal sessions Of
the Paris peace conference. He liked
the stimulus of his audience. but Mr..
Harding takes the view that presi-
Dental speeches are not intended as
rule for the few who can hear a
Chief Executives voice, but for the
millions who read those speeches and
base their criticism on printed words.
An advantage that President Hard
ing will enjoy on his speaking tour
will be the non-partisan character of
the arrangements. As President he
can afford to eschew Republican mass
meetings, which lie would attend if
lie were to speak after the national
party conventions have been held. In
stead he now can accept invitations
from chambers of commerce and other
civic institutions 'and take on the
problems of the federal government
and explain his own attitude toward
public questions without referring
especially TO politics or his party's
achievements.
The points 10 be made BY the
President in various sections Of the
country and the program he shall
advocate for the future will no doubt
be carefully gone over by the party
leaders with their chieftain before the
trip starts because they all will ap-
preciate the publicity value of the
series of speeches, made at n time
when the fires Of the partisanship
spring Of 1924 have not been kindled.
To make such coast-to-coast trip
will require many weeks of prepara-
ton. President Harding is already in
training physically for the big tour
OF the year. No date has been set
Tor the start. but if the international
situation docs not grow so complicat-
ed as to require the Presidents pres
encc in Washington in June or July.
that is the time when il is most adj
vantageous TO make a trip TO Alaska
and the tour NAV be begun then.
While Mr.. Harding has no intention
of calling II special session of Con-
gress in the immediate future. he
may want 10 convene that body n
month or 50 before the regular date in
December, so as TO get flying start
before the 1924 primary campaign
begins to interfere with the legislative
program. In that event the presi-
Dental tour would probably be finish
ed, before the middle of September.