The Coolidge examiner., 1933-07-28
Our Government
How 1t Operates
THE PRESIDENTS JOB
By William Bruckart

| IT is quite apparent to anyone that
the job of being President of
the United States carries with it
| something more than the honor that
attaches TO that great Office. Those
who have observed the perform
ances Of even two or three individ-
uals in their service as President
arrive, believe, at two irreYOcable
conclusions respecting Presidents.
One of them presents a problem for
which l can offer no solution. The
other constitutes a fact that is a
glorifcation of a nation producing
such men.
These convictions are, first, that
the Office of President Of our ma
ton is a burden too great for any
one human being to bear and, sec
ond, that no person ever has served
long in the Office without yielding to
the guidance of some impelling re-
ligious philosophy, regardless of the
state of mind he had when he as
sumed the duties.
1t was only a comparatively few
years ago when 1t was a common
sight in Washington to see the
President strolling about the city
unattended, meeting and greeting
people. The tasks were not so on
erous in those days. But the du-
ties Of the President in late years
have become so complex, the re-
sponsibilities so great, that his
work actually never Is done. And
add to the worries of the office, this
fact: he is never free from criti-
cism, some of which is sincere but
much of which is purely for politi-
cal purposes.
AS the nation has pushed forward
and its government has expanded,
more and more responsibility rests
with its Chief Executive. 1t has
resulted in a condition wherein the
Presidency carries with ii entirely
too much work. The fact long has
been recognized, but the solution is
not apparent. A President has Con-
stitutional obligations, and there is
no way by which he can be relieved
Of them.
1t is obvious TO all that the Pres
ident cannot personally be in touch
with every activity of the far-fung
governmental machinery, yet he is
held to account for them. He must
leave them TO others. He has to be
content with attempts to cooperate
the whole and determine general
policies. In an organization of some
100000 persons, II is not difficult to
see how unwise decisions may be
reached by various subordinates,
and in our two-party system of gov
ernment, the "outs" overlook no op-
portunity to capitalize the mistakes
of the "ins."
And so it goes. An error or an un-
wise decision or piece of malfeas-
ance becomes as a SNOWFALL and
grows as 1t rolls.
The President, therefore, has to
be concerned with all Of the thou
sands of activities, and assume re-
sponsibility for results without be-
ing able at the same time to super
wise them except indirectly. Nor Is
there ever any noticeable short
age Of critics and agitators to
call attention to the vulnerable
spots.
There are close advisers to the
President, Of course. He has his
cabinet. But loyal as are the cab
met members and wise and careful
as they may be, the head of the ma
ton still must lead. He must frame
the policies relating to international
affairs; he must think clearly re-
specting the nations economic
needs, and he cannot escape the
thought that from every word or
deed of his flows consequences so
far reaching that our nation may be
plunged into war or its whole peo-
pie may suffer the privations of
hard times" Even further, from
the things he says or does may come
blasted regulations or unmerited
riches.
Perhaps it is the constant thought
of this great responsibility that
makes men consult the depths of the
souls for the guidance that they
need. 1t is a fact, nevertheless, that
whatever they have done or what
ever their source of wisdom may
have been prior to becoming Presi-
dent of the United States, their
private thoughts during their terms
of office have shown their regard
for the truth as it is impaired in
one or another of the religious teach
ings.
Things of this sort about the Pres
ident seldom reach the people. 1t
is one of the numerous things which
cannot become known. The Presi-
dent is entitled to some privacy,
though he gets very little despite all
of the effort to provide ii. My
thought always has been that the
President ought to have a lot of
sympathy. Everybody is so anxious
RI Cet a olimOSa of him or tn talk