Imperial Valley press., 1923-02-13
HARDING REFUSES
TO SAY If HE
WILL RUN AGAIN
Declares Too Soon to Talk
1924 Nomination
Matters
HARDINGPARTY MAN
If Party Insists, Likely
He Will Be Next
Candidate
HARDINGPARTY MAN
By DAVID LAWRENCE

valley IreSS)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.-Presi-
dent Harding has adopted an inter
csting attitude toward the question
of whether he should Or should not
be renominated in 1924.
The president agrees with the ar
gument advanced by Senator Rob
inson, the Democratic leader, that
discussion of candidates this far in
advance of the national conventions
is decidedly premature. He is not
unaware, however, of the cross cur
rents in the American senate and
certain senators have thought
enough of the importance of these
currents to go to the white house
and seek something definite on
which to chart their course in the
political debates which have sprung
up in congress.
Up to Party
Mr.. Harding has had no hesitancy
in talking frankly with his callers
on the subject, for he feels it is at
this time at any rate, more or less
an impersonal matter. Mr. Harding
believes it all bOils down to-: If the
administration has been q success,
the party will literally want to re-
nominate the man who stood at the
head of that administration. If it
is regarded as failure, the nomiaa-
tiOn may not be attractive to any
Republican aspirant, as the people
will turn to the other party's candi-
date. Under these circumstances, if
the party leaders were to think that
some one else had better make the
race, Mr.. Harding would probably
be found resigned to the turn of
events. But the chances are against
such an outcome because if the ad-
ministration is to be the issue in the
campaign, which it undoubtedly will
be, the party leaders will wish to
have the men who made the record
stand forth and defend it. rd
Warren Harding is distinctly a
party man. He always has felt
that duty to party was above the OBJ
legation to individuals. He feels
that way about himself. And he is
willing to abide by any decision the
party may make in 1924. There are
positive disadvantages to any ex-
plicit statement on the subject at
this juncture. First OF all, if he
were to say that he did not care for
a denomination it would simply stim-
ulate all the various persons who
want the nomination to begin active
campaigns.
Like Firing Gun
If, on the other hand, President
Harding were to say flatly that he
is q candidate TO denomination, it
would be like firing the opening gun
in the presidential campaign itself
The efforts Of political groups and
organizations of various kinds to
influence his course on pending mat
ters would be redoubled. Pressure
to get friends appointed to public
office would be exerted in the light
of what delegations could be mus,
tered for the first ballot of the ma
tiO'nal convention as well as what
votes could be gathered in the au-
tumn.
Mr.. Harding knows what it is to
deal with patronage. Its the most
troublesome and perpiexing phase of
presidential work.
The president is anxious to avoid
discussion Of the denomination Ques-
tion. He did not inspire the recent
speech of Senator James Watson of
Indiana, Republican, but the latter
made his own predictions of what
the Republican party would do when
he said that Mr.. Harding would
surely be renominated There has
been talk on Capitol Hill that Jim
Watson himself was an aspirant for
Republican nomination in 1924.
The fact to be borne in mind is
that Mr.. Harding has no intention
of giving up the presidency for per-
sonal convenience, as has been indi-
Gated from time to time by some
who enormously interpreted his can
did remarks about he weighty re-
sponsibilities of a president in this
reconstruction period. Mr.. Harding
will accept thet nomination if his
party wants him. That's all there
is to it.