Evening star., 1933-04-06
BY DOLLY GANN.

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Palmer. It was correct.
She Favored Harding.
We Republicans in Washington ia
vored Senator Warren G. Harding for
President. I knew and liked him, and
nv brother, Charles, was one OF his
best friends. His chances were not
bright however, as the convention drew
near. The primaries had shown that
the leaders for the nomination would
be Gov Frank o. Lowden, Illinois, and
Mai. Gen. Leonard Wood.
While he was serving his first term
Mr.. Harding gave promise OF becoming
an influence in the Senate. His per
sonal popularity was extraordinary.
From a woman's viewpoint he looked as
if he ought to be President. The men
all liked him, in and out of his party.
An intimate companion was a Demo-
cratic leader. Mr.. Harding was most
gregarious, wanted his friends around
him continually and entertained them
often. Amiability was his characteristic.
With 10 years in Ohio politics before
he came to the Senate IN 1915, he lost
no time learning to know every one
with whom he was to be associated.
His special friends on the Republican
side included Senators Gallinger, Lodge,
Penrose, Knox and Brandegee.
As a speaker Mr.. Harding had more
than ordinary ability. On committees
he was hard worker. His experience
as newspaper owner and publisher had
served as an introduction to the press
gallery, in which he became prime ia
vorite, with the result that his activities
received attention beyond the average.
When he was mentioned as 'presiden-
tial timber" in 1920 he quickly became
the Capitals favorite candidate.
Story Of the Nomination.
So many reports have been circulated
about the method of Harding's nomina-
ton that I repeat here the accurate
account given me by my brother. I
asked Charles about it as soon as he
returned from the Chicago convention.
The night before the nomination
Senator Brandegee invited to dinner in
his hotel room Senator Lodge, brother
and Col. George Harvey, all warm
friends of Harding. The convention
was deadlocked and the factions be-
hind Lowden and Wood would not yield.
Bitterness prevailed. The weather was
hot and the delegates wanted to go
hcme Things were such that the Re
publican outlook in November might be
jeopardized unless the widening breach
between the Lowden and Wood groups
could be dealt with.
It appeared to those at the Brandegee
dinner that time was ripe to bring for
ward Senator Harding. The convention
had adjourned overnight. 1t was agreed
by the four friends that they would
muster as much strength as possible
before morning, and they decided to
round up all available friends Of Hard
ing and set them to work at seeing
delegates.
Brother started out to visit leaders
and delegates the others remained in
the room and telephoned. Charles in
vited all Harding sympathizers he could
find to call at Senator Brandegee's
apartment Soon they began to ar
rive, and for hours the procession con-
tinued. BY 2 in the morning Hard
ing's nomination began to look probable.
It was felt that if New York could
be won the movement would succeed.
Senators Wadsworth and Calder were
consulted, but said they could not
speak for their whole delegation. About
o'clock the Harding supporters felt
they had enough votes. 1t was nearly
four when brother, on his way to his
room in nearby club, met Raymond
Clapper, a reporter, and told him Hard
ing would be nominated. So 1t came
about On the vice presidential ballot
Coolidge was chosen quickly.
The Democratic Sooth- Sayers.
Soon after Mr.. Harding.became Presi-
dent began an era of prosperity un-
paralleled. In those days no one-even
Democrat-arose In the land with
sufficient wisdom to read the future. No
small voice-not even a Democratic
prophets wail-pointed out a lack Of
vision which in later years the oppo-
sition's after thought attributed to our
leaders of that golden era. We pros
pered and the multitude applauded.
Only in the remote aftermath of the
depression, which nobody foresaw or
could have foreseen. was the cry heard
that hard times could have been avert
ed by different methods at Washington.
Had President Harding lived to COM
plete his term it is probable his ad-
ministration would have been remem-
bered as among our safest and most
conservative. / believe he would have
remedied the unhappy conditions which
arose without his knowledge, and would
not have permitted to reach fruition
| the schemes unworthy underlings pro-
NOTED. After his death the treachery
of q few of his associates caused in
vestigations which brought to light
grave scandals.
! 1t has always seemed to me that
Mark Antony's epigram 'the evil that
men do lives after them, the good is
oft inferred with their bones" was
| intended for Warren G Harding. His
warm heart. sense Of loyalty and trust
in his fellow men, all virtues in them
selves, were translated after his death
into sinful weaknesses by the detractors
who tried TO blacken his memory.
Mrs. Harding returned to Washington
after her husbands burial. / went to
see her. Always I had had a soft
spot in my heart for Mrs. Harding.
In her busy months at the White House,
when she was entertaining daily and
attending to countless other details,
not day passed without flowers going
from the White House to my brother
Charles wife, who was i'll, and often
the First Lady visited the invalid.
Mrs. Harding received me with the
old cord ality, but she was crushed
Her entire conversation was Of Presi-
dent Harding-his work, aims and am
bitions. She told me how she had
been sitting by Mr.. Harding's bedside
at the last, reading to him. There was
no one else in the room. When she
looked at him an agonized look Of pain
was on his face. He tried to speak,
but no word came She screamed for
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