Evening star., 1923-03-03
PRESIDENT DROPS :
WORK IN GOOD TIME
Tired of Mind and Body. But
Stout of Heart on Eve OF
Florida Trip.
SPONGE NOT THROWN UP
Congress Fountain of Most Woes,
But Accomplishments Are
Appeasing,
SPONGE NOT THROWN UF
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE,

BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
Warren Ganlaliel Harding finds him
gelf tired and overworlled III the end
of his second year in the Presidency
but of stout heart and without rancor
toward those who have frustrated =
record Of greater constructive achieve
ment for his administration
The President goes to Florida Tor q
very much needed rest. confessedly tired
In mind and body. He never experienced
such exacting duty as that from which
he temporarily is absenting himself.
Mr.. Harding has found life at the
White House merciless cr'escendo OF
work and worry. Between the inces-
SAINT pestering of the federal place
hunters and the endless strife with
Congress. his lot in many respects has
been more burdeusome than that Of any
contemporary predecessors. No man
ever hied himself into the sun or to the
golf links, far from the maddenins
as President Harding.
Congress was the fountain-head Of
most of his woes. But apart from them.
in keeping pace with the mere routine
OF his Office. On his first anniversary.
"A year ago, Mr.. Harding said the Presi-
dency was too big Il job" for one man
to swing alone. A second years labor
Ious experience has fortified that i'm
preston tenfold. For five weeks. be-
ginning Monday, the President means
TO put his strenuous life completely
aside and be just "a human being"
Foreign Accomplishments.
Foreign arrangements. despite the
opposition's charge that the Harding
administration has pursued a do
nothing" policy abroad, are undoubt-
edly it's outstanding constructive
achievement With the stoppase OF
the bankrupting and war-hreedtng
race in naval armaments resultant
from the Washington armament con
ference. President Harding feels the
United States accomplished Il stroke
of imperishable magnitude. With
the correlated four-power Pacific
agreement, he considers that no in
ternational effort of the era ever did
so much for world peace. The ad-
ministration holds that the readjust-
ment OF the British debt TO the Amer
lean Treasury was hardly less I'm
thinks that the debt settlement at
a blow has "stabilized'' American
European economic conditions and
strengthened anew the bond of Amer
lean British riendship, on which
President Harding lays great stress
As a final contribution to world
peace the administration points to
its proposal for American entry into
the Permanent Court OF international
Justice.
There were other steps in foreign
affairs which President Harding has
taken. such as the settlement of the
Chilean Peruvian strife over Tacns
and africa, the final conclusion OF
peace with Germany and the eStab-
hshment of an American-German
claims commission, the treaty with
Colombia and the recent Central
American conference in Washington
But naval limitation, the far eastern
peace and the world-court project
are heralded by the administration
As it's showpieces in the interna ito nal
realm since March 4, 1921. The Presi-
dent and Secretary Hughes believe,
too. their firm refusal to haggle will,
soviet Russia will turn out to have
been an important exhibition Of po-
litical wisdom. To the Lausanne con-
ference over the near east the Hard
ing administration affirms its con-
tributed genuine "helpfulness." Such
"helpfulness" is at Europe's disposal
In the Franco German crisis over the
Ruhr. but will not be intruded. Until
sought under circumstances promis-
ing successful intervention On our
part the President will remain
steadfastly on the side lines.
Lack OF Vigorous Leader.
II the Harding regime has sadder
story to narrate in domestic affairs
its friends and it's foes agree that
lack of more vigorous leadership
from the White House IS probably to
bleme. They believe that il the
President had taken the bit in his
teeth as resolutely as he did in con-
nection with his successful foreign
projects, perhaps even the shipping
bill would now be law. The adm lnis-
erat!on's defenders retort that MIR
an fnsurgent republican majority on
Capitol Hill into loyal support Of
executive policies. He was elected on
a platform that pledged the country
a minimum of interference with Con-
gress from the executive end OF
Pennsylvania avenue. Coupled with
that restriction IS the President S
temperance entail disinclination to ''go
70 the mat" fercely with Senate and
House. Events Of the next two years
hAdy COLN kl4llI ife lcuk the W NFCLk
turning. But he enters the second
half of his presidential term conf
dent that the country at large knows
exactly where the blame belongs. For
the benefit of those sections which
are not clear on that subject MT
Harding intends to speak right out
in meeting on his Forthcoming
speechmaking tour.
Somebody who ought to know was
asked by this writer whether Warren
g. Harding is spiritually upset by the
possibility of republican defeat II
1924. Not bit" that informant
said. eff he fails OF reelection his
reaction will be that of the con-
seienttous golfer. who did his best
but Just couldn't win that day
Which by no means indicates that the
dornk ],