New Britain herald., 1923-03-19
HARDING BOOM IS
 GAINING STRENGTH
Move to Secure His denomination Is We'll Under Way

Washington. March 10 (By Asso- ciated Press) The movement for the renomination of President Harding, which first took tangible form in re- cent conferences among a group of his friends here. has developed 10 a stage where details of the personnel and program of q pre-conyention or ganization in his behalf are receiving active attention.
 For the present the two most virile topics of these discussions relate to the choice of those who are to head the organization, and to various fea- lures of the countrywide speaking trip the president himself is expected to make during the summer. AL ready a tentative itinerary for the trip is under consideration in quar- ters close to the White House, and MT. Harding's advisers are putting their heads together to aid him in selection of the topics he is to dis cuss.
 Formulate Definite Program.
 Attorney General Daugherty's an- nouncement in Miami yesterday, that the president would be candidate again, accepted here as further con- firming the impression which has been current, for some weeks in po- litical circles, is expected to hasten the work of formulating n definite program and definite backing with which he can go before the country. The attorney general who was the Harding preconviction manager in 1920. is regarded as certain to have prominent place also in the cam paign that is now beginning.
 Because of his ill-health and his official duties. however, Mir. Daugh- erty's friends intimated they do not expect him to again shoulder the heavy burden of active pre-conven- ton work he carried three years ago. Various names have been men, toned for that task in the conference of Harding supporters, the list in- cluding among others, Will Hays, of Indiana. and Charles D. Hilles of New York, both former national chairmen, and Colonel George Har- vey, now American ambassador at London.
 Hays Friends Active
 Some of the friends of Mr. Hays recently have been particularly urgent in their suggestions that he be brought prominently into the Hard ing pre- convention organization, with a view of his selection as chairman of the national committee in case MT. is renominated.
 Other Considerations.
 Back of all of these immediate con- lies the question of con- trol of the party spolitical ma chinery in 1928, when, if President is rounding out a second term as his friends believe he will be, a vigorous fight may develop for the party nomination. The supporters of Mr. Hays and ether possible party chairmen are not unmindful of the fact that chairman elected after the 1924 convention would be expected naturally to hold over until after the 1928 convention, and might be a powerful factor in determining how the cards are dealt in that years pre- contest.
 President Harding is expected to give thought to this situation in com ing conferences at St. Augustine, and lE later consultations after he returns to Washington. Meantime, also he is expected to seek the advice of his friends on the nature of the speeches he is to make during the summer, and rla in Hr-1,t tN1, 1,N ol, ,,1 1,o them.
 May Encounter Fight
 Although Attorney General Daugh- arty in his statement yesterday pre- 1icted that only one candidate would appear against Mir. Harding. there are many indications that those who in he past have supported other aspir- lnts are not yet convinced that the re- should be bestowed with put fight. It is taken for granted hat Wisconsin at least will vote for Senator La Toilette, and in the past 'ew days the friends of Senator John- ,on, of California and of Major Gen. ,ral Leonard Wood, both of whom were numbered in the "big three," of he last convention, have talked over l he possibility that an opportunity nay present itself to again put their espective candidates before the ioters
 Wait for Speech Reaction
 Whatever has been done for Sena- or Johnson and General Wood how .ver, has received no public endorse nent by them and their personal in- entions are not known definitely to | ome of those most interested. The | is general that any de- ision as to the actual organization of convention campaigns by these ,roups will await the reaction which | s expected to follow the speech mak- ng trip of the president. Should that | rip demonstrate the enthusiasm for Jim that his supporters predict for it, he futility of any serious opposition ! 0 his renomination, they say, will be obvious to everyone.