Evening star., 1923-04-11
PRESIDENT BARS III
POLITICS ON TRIP
9i-
Journey to Alaska Will Be as
President, Not as
Candidate.

President Harding is indiguan1
over what he feels to be premature
injection OF politics into his work as
resident and will not make his trfI
to Alaska, planned for late in June
as a prospective candidate for re.
nomination. but as the President OF
the United States.
This was made plain at the Whit
House yesterday. following the firs'
cabinet meeting since the President.
eturn from Florida, when spokes-
man for the administration outlineo
the position of the chief executive
Favors a horizontal reduction o:
taxes, all along the line, instead q
a reduction of the high surtax brack
cts only, should the SITUATION "aE
rant any reduction.
Stands firm on previous posttioI
that American adherence to protoco
OF international court of justice
! under league of nations would no
obligate this government to ths
league.
To Discuss Fleet Plans.
Plans to meet with entire ShippinE
Board at conference this week
lean merchant marine feet, and ma
later name successor to ChairmaF
Lasker expected to resign by
promotion"
Expects to name new farm mem be-
Of the Federal Reserve Board befors
Friday, probably not from the south
VIII appoint Henry VI. Dawes TO b
controller Of the currency before Ma
/; the present controller, u. X Cr!s'
singer, nominated and confirmed gov.
ernor of the Federal Reserve Board
to move up as governor sinulta
Has informal reports from TIL
tariff commission that the rise Il
price of sugar had no connectlol
with the tariff.
The Presidents feeling in regard -
the wave of discussion over his pro
spective candidacy to succeed himSel'
in 1925 was made plain. He feels
almost indignant that he has beet
swept before the people as pro
spective candidate in the middle 9
his term as President. and his triI
planned en- route to Alaska has bee;
referred to as q political tour for tl.t
purpose of exploitation.
Refusal Not Intimated.
In fact, Mr.. Harding was represent
ed as feeling that a President OF th'
United States ought to be allowed l.
devote all his time and attention {
the duties OF his position for three
full years, without being dragged
into the political whirlpool There
was no intimation, however. that NJ
Harding had entertained any ideas o.
refusing the 1924 nomination o:
would shIrk the responsibilities o
the campaign when the time became
ripe.
IF the President goes to Alaslsa.
leaving Washington late in June
with the expectations of arriving IT
Alaska in the middle OF July. n
would necessarily cross the country
from making a few remarks, it was
explained, on appropriate and time
Iy questions" He would positive!
not make this trip as political can
didate, It was explained: 1t the sltua-
tion developed SO acutely in poiit..
cal way as to lend too much poliuca
color to his trip, 1t was said, tht
President might go so far as 10 can
eel arrangements for the whole ex-
pedition.
heavily stressed by the President IN
recent message to the Congress, might
be one of the subjects for discussior
by the President on his trip. 1t wa:
understanding that the Presiden'
would not fail to use the excellent op
portunity afforded for presenting te
the American public the attitude q
the administration on the league o.
nations and the international court
| which the administration has pro
posed Joining.
The President feels, IL was said
/, that some cloudiness has been inject
ed into the subject of the information
| al court by political" considerations
and by the enthusiasm with whlcf
friends of the league of nations seen
| to have seized upon the proposal O!
the administration as a "backdoor
T to the league The proposal. IN fact
means nothing of the sort, 1t was e1
plained by the White House spokes
man. The American governmeI'
would incur not a single liabllltg q
the league of nations. the Presldeii
believes, by adherence TO the proloe"
establishing the court.
The real reason for an Alaskan trlf
was set forth as the Presidents dt
sire to get into intimate touch VII
a situation which has become hlghi,
and authority. as to who is responsi-
bic in Alaska for the deyelopmeht
of the wealth of natural resource
belonging to America
Tax Compromise Attitude.
Tn taking the position that he wouiu
favor a horizontal reduction of taxe$
should the splendid showing of increased
returns from income and excess prof
taxes IN the MdTCn cOiIeCtlOliS DS Con
tinued through the year, and the
economy program of the government
succeed as expected, the President takes
middle ground.
His position would compromise III.
two opposite views of Secretary Mello..
and Chairman Madden of the House al
propriationS committee. on the one sid.
urging reduction of the high SurtaXe
, from 90 per cent TO % per cent limit
and Representative Frear and others
on the opposing side, who would Il,
heavier surtaxes on big business ara
relieve the tax burden on the small,
taxpayers, particularly on those VIII
are listed as making incomes below
81, 1000.
While indicating that it might he
a bit early to predict too much, IL
view of the March collections o.
taxes, which were $70,000.O00 create!
than those of March last year. the
intimation was freely given that the
President feels gratified at the gooo
showing and expects that a reduction
of taxes is TO be considered within,
the realm of possibility.
The entire merchant marine pro
gram. which has been intense[.
studied during the Presidents vaca
ton in Florida by the Shipping
Board, will be laid before the Presi-
dent at the conference planned for
some time this week, as a means o.
arriving at some workable plan for
handling the great government feet
following the failure of the shipping &
bill in the last Congress-.