Evening star., 1923-03-08
PRESIDENT AVOIDS
HIS MAIN WORRY
Hopes to Escape Perplexi.
ties of Appointments Till
December.
FINDS QUIET is HELPFUL
Opportunity for Uninterrupted
Thought to Be Used on Prob
lens of Next Congress.
FINDS QUIET is HELPFUL

lens of Next Congress.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
MELBOURNE, Fla, March S.--Pres-
ident Harding is having a good time,
but If things should grow monotonous
all he has to do to make him glad
he is here is to read the front pages
Of Florida newspapers where dis
patches from New York and New
England points telling of storms and
blixzards are displayed under two
column heads as of equal Importance
with developments in the Ruhr.
IN this land OF straw hats and bath
ing suits, with the temperature often
rising TO 20 and so at mid
worries away by TIE Pollyanua meth
cd. People can always be glad they
are not battling with snowdrifts and
influenza. For absolute detachment.
President Harding could not have Sc
lected a better place. The little towns
along the Indian River inlet where
che Harding houseboat drifts along
are sparsely populated. Grapefruit
and orange groves are the only vtsi-
BILE reminders of industry. 1t is the
kind OF an atmosphere in which
nan can do q good many hours OF
uninterrupted thinking every day. and
this is bound to be OF a. much value
as the health giving qualities OF golf
ard houseboating.
xSsIuu- Wpn.txs~-~ nte6c,,lx
Mr.. Harding's opportunities for
thinking out problems have been in
recent weeks disturbed by something
which ne considers the most perplex-
ing and embarrassing phase OF the
presidency, namely, the making of ap-
pointments to Office. Picking men for
important tasks in the business world
IS acknowledged to be one Of the keys
to the financial success OF many an
enterprise, but selecting men for pub
&c office has that beat thousand
ways, In the opinion of Mr.. Harding.
In the first place, Congress usually
limits the salary that can be paid and
expects the government to get for FIVE
or ten thousand dollars a year men
whose earning capacity Is four or five
times that much IN the business
world. Members OF Congress them
selves are compelled to live on $500
could be earning several times that
sum in the practice OF law or other
orofe Ssfons, and they realize the sac
rtftceS that must be made by those
who give up lucrative opportunities
TO take public Office.
Field Is Limited.
But there Is prejudice back home"
against fancy salaries." So the Pres-
dent finds himself limited in his
choice either to men who have made
their fortunes and look upon govern
mental service as diversion and
possibly an opportunity for the social
interest OF their families. or to men
who wish to use the government as
a means Of educating themselves for
special kinds Of business or profess
sional service later on in life. Neither
OF these classes would cause any diff
aculty II they contained always just
the right men for the right places. q
thing that Is not even easy to find
N the business world where salary
ts not factor. But more often the
President Is dragged into Still another
group and forced to take his pick.
That group consists OF the politically
active or their friends. many OF whom
N the business world would not be
apt to earn as much as the govern
ment VIII pay theIn-
Political Demands Tryins.
The demands Of politics have been
particularly trying to Mr.. Harding.
rhe defeat at the autumn elections OF
many members of Congress made It
politically necessary to take care Of
"lame ducks" Mr.. Harding was a
Iame duck" once himself, and knows
how 1t feels. He has been brought
up IN the atmosphere OF practical
politics and realizes that without
party workers little can be hoped for
by a candidate. Nineteen twenty
four is not far away, and even
Il Mr.. Harding were not TO be the
candidate he has such an enduring
interest in the maintenance OF party
cohesion that he would be found
caring for the lame ducks" just the
same. Tho trouble Is that however
much ones sympathy may be with
these lame ducks" they do not al
ways have the ability to fill the post !
tions In which special training is re-
Quired. Many an administration has
tried to improve the diplomatic serv-
ice, but the Harding administration,
like its predecessors of republican |
and democratic labels, hnds places for |
the politicians In the embassies and
Hnlts on Appointments.
The adjournment Of Congress has !
brought some relief from the appoint |
ment problem, as most all Of the
nominations require combinations by
the Senate, and Mr.. Harding Is not
much of a believer In the idea of
recess appointments. because the man
appointed doesn't always get the sup
port he needs in administering the
duties of his office when there Is a
chance Congress may not confirm him
on its return. The handspring Of the
whole appointment problem, of course, !
is the political enmities 1t makes. Few
people realize how the course of leg
islation can be affected by personal
differences which senators and MEM
bers OF the House may have with the
chief executive over appointments
Mr.. Harding's hardest Job has been
TO appoint federal Judges, the con-
gestion of work In the courts having
induced Congress to create many new
federal judgeships. These judges hold
office for life and must be carefully
selected.
Mr.. Harding will not fill any va
cancies during the recess Of Congress
ff he can help 1t. He Is going to try
20 steer clear Of appointments alto !
his time to the broad policies Of his |
administration and to the preparation
OF measures for the December session
OF Congress- That is quite enough !
Ia itself |
Copyright, 1887
REACHES TITUsvILLE.