Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-08
Word Picture of
How Harding Held
Up Mirror OF Self

pew ork, Aug "A striking pic
tuf Of President Harding, holding
uplto himself the mirrow of public
optl!on and candidly discussing
what he saw reflected there. was
portrayed before the Lawyers Club
today BY John A. Stewart.
Ar. Stewaft was chairman of a
q EdEnth@ clue which was to
-GaxS welcomed the nations eAccu-
tNe'and Ms. Harding to New York
City on august Sth on their way
home fronl the ALASKAN tour. AZ Il
meeting of the club today to dis
cuss plans for a Harding. memo
rial in September or October,
at which President Coolidge would
be asked to deliver an eulogy. The
lawyer described his st converse
ton with the man whose body is
ncw journeyiEg to Washington nc
fore being taken to its final resting
place in the little burial plot in
Ohio.
Characterizing the man from
Marion as one who had laid down
his life in martyrdom 10 appease
his sense of friendly duty TO the
American people, whom he loved SO
tCndly." Mr.. Steward went Oh:
"A few days before his as, dc
parture from Washington | spcn.
three hours alone with him. He
told of his plans to visit the west.
Alaska and Canada 'on mission Of
sheer friendship. He talked of
good will as an affirmative T. :licy
in al! political relationships, dom
cstiC and International
But the real picture OF Harding,
inns oil ~ ,np In IL
honestly, critically discussing the
when the man with whom he talked
commented on 1.-The dire misfortune
that so many of the unthinking
should regard good will as only
amiable weakness" as Mr.. Stewart
related it, the Presidents reply was:
4" 1t is pity that this is true. but,
nevertheless, l shall continue on this
course-to be myself, just as | am.
| know my limitations; l know how
lar removed from greatness | am.
But be that as it may. l intend to
approach every problem with good
will in my heart, instead of hatred.
Most questions which are set
tied by armed force are never per-
manently settled. Problems can be
solved fundamentally only as they
are worked out in a spirit of neigh
borly good
Good will is the only solvent of
ill-will. l believe this is the time for
goodwill to be used as the great
and most effective political policy in
furtherance of that good understand
ing without which no. permanent bet
terment in human affairs can be eff
fected.
81 intend to approach every
question, so far as l can, with neither
bias nor ill-will. | shall continue, no
matter what may be said of me, nor
how unjust. patiently to apply good
will and friendly feeling in the set
Element of every question.
People may think of me as they
please, but 7 shall continue to he as
| am, just Warren G.. Harding as he
is as God fashioned him-a man who
is trying, the best he knows how. to
throw into the discard age-old, dis
cordant ways of doing things, ways
which have never succeeded in
bringing happiness into the world.
If l am misunderstood, and an
other course is demanded of me. then
l shall accept. as l must. what fate
may have politically in store for me.
But l will not change my policy of
good will, even though it lead to my
defeat for another term to the presi-
dency and my relegation to private
life"
Mr.. Stewart declared that death
prevented other goodwill missions
which President Harding would have
undertaken among nations outside
his jurisdiction. saying:
Il can now say without i'll consc
quences, that, if God had spared him
and he had been reelected President
of the United States. Mr. Harding,
during his second term, would have
visited Great Britain, France, and
other European nations, in the same
amiable, friendly. kindly. loving.
neighborly way he visited Alaska and
Canada-not on political mission
but only in an endeavor to become
for all the world the exemplar of the
new politics"