Milford chronicle., 1923-08-10


to horn in the Iberia brass band, bu
? this was for recreation rather tina
for pay.
More important in its influence o.
his later career, he learned to set typ
and acquired his first contact wit
newspaper work While President MI
Harding still carried as a luck piec,
the printers rule which he used Whel
Sticking type" AS editor Of his col
lege paper he showed an aptitude anC
liking for journalism.
In the meantime DR.. Harding ha,
moved his family from the farm Il
Caledonia, and when Warren was 1!
years old moved to Marion in the ad
joining county, then a place of about
1000 population. There Warren got
a job in the office of a small weekly
The Marion Mirror. Just before that
he had been studying law, selling in
surance and teaching school, but from
the moment he went to Marion he de-
termined to be newspaper man.
While with The Mirror he did all the
odd jobs that fell to the lot of the ap-
prentice in the old-time country news
paper office, from scrubbing out the
office and setting type to writing edi-
torials and soliciting advertisements
and subscriptions.
Worked for a Democratic Paper
The Marion Mirror was a Democrat
ic paper and the majority of the Vo-
ters in Marion at that time were Dem.
Ocrats. Doctor Harding was a Repub-
lican and Warren, then Just becoming.
greatly interested in public affairs,
was also Republican, and one of the
uncOmprOmising variety. The situation
in The Mirror Office became somewhat
embarrassing. for the youthful Hard
ing not only joined the local James G.
Blaine Club which the Republicans
had formed for the Presidential cam
paign, but insisted upon wearing
black, shiny Blaine high hat to work.
1t has often been said that Harding
was discharged from The Mirror for
this, but that was not true. He was |
too valuable to his employer He not |
only knew the mechanics of the prin- |
ter's trade, but had a pleasant way of
writing about births, weddings and |
other local happenings that made
friends for the paper. The best proof
of the error of the story that he was
discharged by the owner of The Mir
ror for his Republicanism is that this
same owner, the future Presidents
first boss" in the newspaper business,
helped him realize his ambition to be-
come a newspaper owner.
There was a little daily newspaper
in Marion, called The Star, which had
been started by a former peanut ven
der, who had failed to make it sue
cessful. This paper was about to be
sold for debts by the Sheriff and Hard
ng's employer, the owner of The Mir
'or advised the owner of The Inde-
pendent to buy The Star and scrap it I
est it might later compete actively {
With The Independent. This the owner
# The Independent refused to do. Net {
led by the rejection Of his advice, the t
,wner of The Mirror called in Hard I
ng and told him to go over to the /
ourt house and buy The Star. Il
1--WE nothing to buy it with" said Il
[arding. F
you go over and do what 1 tell you, K
nd it will work out all right" Hard Ii
lg was told.
Purchaser of The Marion Star n
On the following day, November 26, s.
S84, this announcement appeared in L
he Star: e.
1--WE have purchased The Star and r. =
ill stay" e.
'The Star Publishing Company" :,
The company consisted of Warren W
arding and his equally youthful cc
lend Jack Warwick. Thus began.
arding's career as publisher. For Ia
'veral years he worked every avail al
lie hour to put The Star on its feet. tb
rst, the property had to be paid for. te
arding ransacked Marion and Vicin- pl
7 = for news and advertisements. F,
hen his writing and his business WI
anaging were done, he helped his. of
rtner set the type, make up the pa he
r, run the press and get the carrier
US out. After the issue was out, the at
rtners then turned to and distribut- ed
the type, for they had barely tic
ough of it for one days paper, and lat
d to have it ready for the next day. fol
Harding's early years with The Star Pr
IRE full of difficulties He sold in ne
rance ION the side" and resorted to fol
sorts OF exped1ents to meet the Sat de,
day payroll. During this time came his
VI can Will LIS pdILu6IS warwick.
the midst of his troubles, Harding =,
oided that the paper must have a 81
ephone. His partner baked at this ne
Harding bought him out and put ny
n on the payroll as an employee,
Is taking on himself all the respon- eve
ility. I
Harding could not modernize the.
nshackle equipment of the paper loT
several years because of lack of % %stO
ney. To add to his difficulties the MAJ
tor of The Independent, the COM Z
ing daily, attacked him so bitterly 2
Harding once threatened to mop
the street" with him if his oppo- OUT
It did not stop "lying." The pro- lng
alton must have been severe, for II
'ding's method before and after slv'
always to win his way by concil- not no
IN. al
Helped by His Wife in Struggle oNr olTS
ith his ability, energy and courte- n
Harding finally won the good will entl