Evening star., 1923-08-16
COOLIDGE STUDIES
| HARDING POLICIES
Confers With Many Leaders
to FamiIiarize Himself Be-
fore Expressing Opinions.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Having pledged to the American
people that he would carry out inc
Harding policies. President Cooiiuse
has set about to find out just whdt
those policies are. In the last TWO
days the new President has had man!
conferences, and invariably he mas
asked his callers to give him the
benefit of their recollection of con-
versa tions with Mr.. Harding and in
timate consultations extending over
the last two and a half years.
AIR Coolidge has revealed hlmSell
as n sympathetic listener. Az no
time has he indicated that ne dis-
approved of what was done, but ne Is
scrupulously trying to find OUT Jusl
what were the circumstances tiiat ieu
Mr. Harding to make the decisions OIL
policy which he made. Cabinet meet
inEs probably did not disclose 90 per
cent of the Harding administration
Day in and day out Mr.. Harding en-
Eagement list was full, and 1t IS no eN-
aggeration to say that much OF tue
business of his administration was
orally done. There wasn't always
time to make a record OF important
matters.
Like New Students.
The President today is like stu
dent at iiew school. He must get
acquainted with his fellow students
End al tie same time dig into the
curriculum of studies. While MT.
Harding did have the Vice iresiaen.
at the cabinet table. Mr.. Coolluse
found himself on taking office. unfa-
miliar with much of the routine OF
the government in which in the pasl
he had only an advisory interest," pul
W hich now becomes his personal anu
official responsibility.
Mr.. Coolidge has been careful not
~ forerlose himself against changes
in the Harding policies He mas SIM
ply let it be known that in genera
he will carry them forward and that
the changes he will make are OF a
character which Mr.. Harding himself
might have made if he had lived.
Hns short Time for Record.
But that's the nub of the political
of the presidency. While Mr.. Hard
ing was rapidly gaining in political
strength. he did have considerable
opposition.
Mr. Coolidge would like. naturally.
to inherit all the assets of Mr.. Hard
inG'S administration. with none or
the liabilities. What his statement.
therefore, means is that a.: the
Harding policies that he believes are
to the best interest of the people
and which will help to insure con-
tinuance in power of the republican
party after 1924 will be faithfully
executed. but that the new Executive
reserves the right TO modify or amend
the Harding administrations acts or
pledges whenever it shall be to the
best interests of the country to have
them amended.
No formal or official announcement
is needed from President Coolidge to
establish the fact that he is desirous
OF earning second term. He would
be a strange human If ne didn't.
And there would be little stimulus
to his daily work if he were indif-
ferent to the second term idea But
Mr. Coolidge feels already the re-
straint of the presidency, which keeps
the man in the White House from
actively seeking a nomination for
himself. The new President how
ever, is in somewhat different posi-
tiou from any on who has occupied
The office before He took the oath
on the eve of a presidential campaign.
He has only q short time to show