Evening star., 1923-03-25
MEN AND AFFAIRS
BY ROBERT T. SMALL,

had decided upon another man, but
this time the delegates took the bits
In their teeth and named Mr.. CoolIdre
with resounding who0s
naturally the far.seeing political
masters of the republican party are
engaged just now in many delicate
calculations They want TO give M
Harding in 1924 ali the added strength
they can and to which he Is entitled,
And with them the question naturaIIy
arises, does Mr.. Harding need strengti
In Now England? On the face OF
things the answer IS In the negative,
But Mr.. Harding does need strength
IN the far west and the farther side
ot the middle west, where tho pro-
gressiveS come from
To the politicians the ideal t;cbe;
would be Mr. Harding for Presiden.
and some popular western progressive
TOT wee President The protest. siona.
politician likes to cash EN- comt..-
ana gong. What will eventuate re
mains to be seen. The progressive;
are certain to make q very interest
Ing platform fight az the next con
yentton. The main plank of that plat
form, or course, will be q glorifica-
ton or the Harding administration
The progressives Will adhere 70 thts.
put they VIII also attempt to commit
the next republican administration 10
lot of things that President Harding
never even thought Of
Mr.. Harding has done his best 20
make the Job Of Vice President a
pleasant one and also has endeavored
TO give 1t added prestige by follow
ing the precedent set by Presiden.
TAFT Of inviting the Vice Presideu,
TO SIT in at all the cabinet meetings.
Mr. Coolidge has attended virtually
all OF the cabinet meetings of the last
two years, but he has been more o.
listener than q talker at thesc
gatnerings Of tho official family. TIE
fe =
The wisdom Of the ages seem
wrapped up IN his sIlences.
Reference was made in these CO.
umns last week 10 the feud which
has long existed IN Marion, Ohio, az
to whether it was DR. George T
Harding, father OF the President, O.
Col. George 3. Christian, ST., fathe.
Of the secretary to the President, VIII
put down the rebellion" in 1855.
Well. now. IT would seem that tho
moot question, at which PresideD,
Harding himself baked, may be set
tied once and for all-and settled hy
the Johnny Rebs' who were put
down" The United Confederate Vet
Grams have broken all precedents this
year by inviting the tUo distinguished
G. A. r. boys" from Marion 10 at
tend their annual enconpment In New.
Orleans in April. The Confederates
may be entirely unconscious OF tho
fact that in inviting DR.. Harding and
Col. Christian they are committing
themselves 10 the entertainment O:
the entire Union forces, for President
Harding insists that from all he car
hear and Judge 1t certainly was eithe..
his own father or his secretary
father who put down the rebellion
single handed. For years the Presi-
dent has been trying to discover
which one it was, but today he Is no
nearer a soittton than ever, despite
the fact tha' Col. Christian on re-
cent visit TO Washington had the last
inning.
Maybe frort tie stories the colonel
and the doctor tell in New Orleans
the Confederates. who saw things
from the other side, can determine
which doughty warrior 1t was thai
won the noble victory OF So. Or per
haps the battle will start all over
In any event a pleasant time is an
ticipated by all.